divine intervention
by TFRiD Queen
Summary: Set in the school days AU-verse, 'divine intervention', wherein both Sio/Nobunagun and Adam/Jack are not e-gene holders or anything, but rather regular humans who are twins instead. Please note that this story will contain very mature content, including homosexual and incest themes. Adam/Sio, Jack/Nobunagun, and everything in between.
1. Truly, Madly, Deeply

**A/N: Please note that this story will contain very mature content, as well as the element of incest, specifically Jack harboring incestuous feelings towards Adam. If you are in any way, shape or form uncomfortable with any of these ideas, then you should not read this. This chapter does contain mature content, including incest + homosexual feelings, and masturbation.**

* * *

They had been doing something completely mundane earlier—either playing video games or watching some random movie that was playing on cable channel, he can't recall—just typical, teenaged behavior.

Normal. Acceptable.

It wasn't until Adam announced that they should probably get some sleep before they turned into complete zombies that he agreed to turn off the screen and follow his brother up the stairs.

Two rooms. Two beds. Two brothers.

Twins.

So why is it now that he is currently perched precariously above his twin, who is sound asleep with a look of pure serenity on his face while he has one hand sunk inside his boxers, stroking himself harder and harder as his gut churns with a mixture of shame and pure ecstasy?

This isn't normal; he knows this, understands that normal siblings do not have lustful thoughts about each other, and certainly do not jerk themselves off to the other while said other is sleeping right below them. But oh…he cannot help himself. The perfection that is his other half…no, he'd once read an article written by some other twin in which the author described twins as being the perfect definition of a soulmate, one who perfectly understood you and literally made up half of your own being. He thinks of making Adam all his, only his and a low whine escapes his tightly clenched teeth, much to his dismay.

_'Shit! Don't wake up, don't wake up, please don't…'_

Below, his twin stirs for a brief second but doesn't open his eyes. He heaves a sigh of relief, wondering if he should retreat now while he still has the chance. For if Adam were to wake right now, just the thought of his reaction to this…this sickening behavior… His hand continues anyway, pumping a little harder, a little faster—maybe if he can come before things get any riskier…

"Hmnn…shut up Jack…" The body below turns and for a second he narrowly dodges hitting his legs which are straddled just above his brother's waist, and in that twisting movement the shirt is pulled up, exposing the paleness of his body. With the moon streaming through a crack in the curtains, he is spellbound by this sight, of what he claims is utter perfection: the vast expanse of pale skin, alabaster-white and entirely smooth, unlike him, whose torso is littered with scars from the countless fights he's gotten himself into over the years. The muscles lying below forming perfectly etched ridges…he just wants to reach down and run a fingertip, just one, down the lines and down, down down…

_'Oh, you said my name…'_ But not like that, not like the way he wishes, all panting and desperate; no doubt he's simply dreaming about having yet another argument with him, always being exasperated with him about one thing or another.

No, his brother surely would never harbor such repulsive thoughts, such impure thoughts. He has always been the better of the two—maybe because he's just a few minutes older?—the responsible one, mature one, always looking out for him and their mother while he became the literal wild child, running around and causing all kinds of mischief one way or another. And still he is always forgiven, always; no matter how bad things got between them, always…

_'But will you forgive this? This sin…of lusting after your own twin…'_

He's breathing much heavier now, trying to pant silently because if he were to remove his supporting hand now, he'd fall over for sure; but it's hard, hard to not just moan and call for his brother, to beg for his forgiveness. _'I'm sorry! I know I'm not normal, that I'm some sort of freak; you can hate me, call me a monster, a sin—that's okay with me. Just please, don't push me away…don't reject me…'_

Something slippery is trickling out the tip and he knows he's close, he's very close to climaxing…and yet, through the haze of lustful indecencies, a piercing voice shuns him, shaming him for being able to come to the thought of his own brother and his desires drop a little, not completely but just enough so that he doesn't come quite yet.

_'N-no…ugghnn, god, why can't I…come…!'_

Perhaps he truly doesn't desire his brother after all, and this is just some momentary madness, some misfiring of neurons combined with the unpredictability of a teenager's hormones. But that doesn't make him any less hard, his hand move any less faster or tighter as he feeds the growing heat in his lower gut. He swallows hard lest he accidentally drools all over Adam (which would wake him up for sure), mouth dry and lungs heaving for air from the silence he is forcing upon himself.

Or maybe this is just some extreme form of narcissism, of self-love? True enough, they are identical down to every last physical feature, including their unusual silver hair and piercing emeralds for eyes. But that doesn't explain why he never fantasizes about himself, clearly making a distinction between the two halves 'Jack' and 'Adam'.

_'Adam is better, he's always been the perfect one…whereas I'm just a disgusting, worthless piece of trash…'_

He doesn't remember when this started; for as long as he can remember, they've been brothers, twins, just like any other siblings. Sure they fought and argued, and competed and occasionally made each others' lives hell, but it had always been bonded with sibling love. Their desire to protect each other.

So where down the path did this sibling love turn into illicit desire?

He thinks maybe it was there all along, just dormant under the conventions of brotherly love and social expectations, of childhood innocence. But now that they're older, and more importantly, the introduction of that other set of twins into both their lives…

The Ogura twins. Identical twin sisters, just like them, one shy and gentle while the other was a whirling blaze of sass and attitude. He'd been taken with the brash one—Nobunaga or rather, Nobunagun as she'd dubbed herself—immediately, her fire and spirit unlike any other girl he'd met before. And no matter how many times Adam had denied it, he couldn't lie to his own twin about his burgeoning feelings for the quieter one, Sio.

Twins dating twins. Everything was fine and dandy, right? Oh, if only all things in the world could be so simple…

He wants Adam to be happy; truly he does, for nothing is more important than his brother. Even if it means acknowledging that one day, they will part, and lead separate lives…his breath catches as his nail scratches the sensitive head and a deep wave of pleasure erupts, so powerful it nearly knocks him over and brings him face-to-face with his twin, so close he can count each individual eyelash and smell the scent that is purely 'Adam'.

How bad would it be if he just leaned down right now, and kissed him…but no, he still has some level of self-control, what little is left. _'No touching, only looking…'_ Every time he is about to orgasm some guilty self-conscious barges in, reminds him again and again of how wrong this behavior is. Yet…at this point, he is all but lost to his own pleasure, is desperate to take everything he can get at this point—Adam's breath fanning against his face, how beautiful his other self is just lying there—a sudden tightening in his stomach and he knows it's coming—

_'—oh god Adam, I'm coming because of you…I'm so—I'm sorry—Adam AdamAdam—!'_

"Adam!"

Unable to hold anything back, he lets out a cry and to his horror, the force of his orgasm not only causes him to actually call out his brother's name, but his arm weakens and he collapses face-first onto the other's body, instantly waking him up.

"_Ugh_ what th—Jack?!" His brother immediately sits up while he hastily pulls his hand from his underwear, hoping he won't notice the stickiness. "Christ, yeh scared the shit outta me…shit, you all right?" He peers worriedly at his twin, taking in his appearance—chest heaving, clothes all sweaty and hair sticking to his forehead and—were those tears? "Oy, what's wrong?"

"I-I-I, uh, I…" He wishes he can form coherent sentences, but he can barely catch his breath, the adrenaline from both his climax and fear still coursing strongly through his veins. "S-Sorry, I…had a…nightmare…" The lamest of lame excuses, but in the state he's in now, it's all he can think of.

"Jesus, must've been some nightmare. Here, need a tissue?" He blinks as it's offered to him, for a second scared that his brother might've guessed the real reason, until he gently presses it against his cheek. "Yer cryin'…"

"Oh…" When did that happen? It isn't just a drop or two either, he realizes as he wipes his face, but enough to have left two sets of tracks. "Thanks…"

His brother sighs and pats his shoulder. "Sure. So uh, yeh wanna…talk about it?"

"Huh?" He blinks stupidly.

A silver brow raised in slight irritation. "Uh, th' nightmare? That _is_ why you apparently fell over me, and are now in my bed, correct?"

"Oh, that…it's, uh…" He can't meet his brother's eye, because one look and Adam will know instantly he's lying. "It was…weird. I-I mean, just…" Shit, if there was one thing that being twins made difficult, it was lying to the other. Still, there was no way he could ever reveal his forbidden thoughts towards his brother.

"Fine, 'f yeh don't feel like talkin' about it, then don't force it. Though, I gotta say, you haven't come running to me about a bad dream since we were what, ten?" A hint of teasing in the elder one's voice, completely oblivious to the actual reason for his being here. "Was it really that bad?"

"I-I—it's none of yer business! So what if it was…" Cheeks burning, he huffs angrily and wipes his eyes, suddenly relieved that things are back to 'normal'. Normal siblings teasing each other…the way it's supposed to be, right?

Adam just laughs at his childish fit. "Riiight. Anyway, yeh sure yer okay?"

"Yeah…don't worry about me, I'm…okay now." He nods slowly, as if to reassure himself that yes, that was just a fit of momentary indulgence. Adam is his twin brother, nothing more.

At least, that's what he tells himself until Adam reaches over, and pulls him close, looking at him straight in the eye.

"Hey, listen Jack…I know yeh hate 'brotherly love' an' all that shit, but I'm serious—you can talk to me about anything, yeh know that…right?" His face is so close that it brings a wave of heat running back up but he tamps down that feeling and swallows nervously.

"I know I know, god, don't hafta get all 'mushy' on me…" He pulls away, afraid that lingering even a second longer and he will lose control entirely. "Ow!" A hit in the back of his head with a pillow and he turns around, glaring at the perpetrator.

"Hn, well looks like someone's back to normal…anyway, I'm goin' back to sleep, unless yeh needed anything else?"

_'Yes, I need you…'_

"…No. Sorry for…bargin' in like that." Never again; he can't risk this again, not when he still loves his brother as a brother. Why he even did this in the first place…for some reason, he can't think of the answer now, after it's all over.

"…_Ookaay_." A pause. "Um. Jack."

"…Yeh?"

"…There a reason you're still here?" Too late, he realizes that he's been caught up in his own volatile thoughts for the past minute, instead of 'acting normal' and heading back to his own room.

Maybe…just, one last thing…

"…Can I…stay here?"

His twin stares at him hard for a second, and instantly he regrets his decision—how stupid, they're nearly grown men at this point, and still he wants to share a bed like they did back in primary school? How foolish.

"…Uh, sure…I guess…" The tone clearly states that he knows there's something else, or at the very least, there's something in that dream that greatly shook him. But as always, he is the kinder one, the mature one, and so he allows him to stay without any further questions. "Dunno if it'll be that comfortable though…"

Now he feels like shit, in more ways than one. But it's too late to back out now; if he changes his mind again, that would only raise more suspicions and besides, he really does want to stay by his side tonight. "…Thanks." He hesitates, before slowly lying down, filling half of the warm crevice after Adam scoots to the side to make room, his back pressed against the other but instead of cramped it feels comforting. The pillow and sheets smell like him, and it fills him with this strange sort of coziness, of memories back when they were younger, memories that he'd nearly forgotten.

"G'night, Jack…"

"'Night, Adam…" In less than a minute he hears his twin's breathing even out, indicating that he's already asleep again. Slowly he sits up, his brain yelling at him to lie back down and get to sleep already, but just a little bit—

—his lips ghost the other's cheek and it's just as soft and smooth as he imagines—

_"—I love you, Adam."_

Somehow, he doesn't care if his brother actually hears it or not. It's best if he doesn't, if he never knows—but he can't help but hope. For even as he finally starts getting drowsy, and at last his thoughts turn away from the body that is lying right next to him and instead to that of a lithe, petite shell of a spitfire who can match even his acerbic tongue—

—he knows at this point, there is no denying it—that he is in love with his twin brother.

Truly, madly, deeply in love.


	2. No Differences

**A/N: 2 months prior...**

* * *

The alarm clock was counting up, 57, 58, 59…

BAM. Like a ninja did she slam her hand on the buzzer, the poor timepiece never even given a chance to fulfill its duty. But alas, when your owner was a hot-headed, acid-tongued spitfire (who may or may not have been slightly insane) who wasn't beyond randomly tossing things out the window just because they pissed her off, you considered yourself lucky to still be in one piece.

One _working_ piece.

"Heh heh heh…today's the start of the new semester, isn't it, Sio-chan~?" Crawling up the bunk bed's ladder with practiced ease, she made sure to position herself correctly (falling would be bad—she knew from previous attempts) first and then—

_'D'aww, she's so adorable…I almost feel bad about doing this…almost…'_ Directly below, her sister was still sleeping like a log, covers pulled up to her nose and her beloved Bunny-tan snuggled tightly in her grip, its fur nearly gone from years of being hugged. Still, promises were promises, and she had sworn to wake her up and make sure they got to school on time, no matter what…

"OHMYGOD SIO WAKE UP WE'RE ALREADY LATE WAKEUPWAKEUP—!"

She didn't even finish her sentence before the sleeping one shot up like a rocket, the other girl narrowly avoiding an unintentional skull bash (lesson #14: immediately move out of the way) as she rolled onto her back, gripping her stomach in pure laughter.

"WHAAA—Nobu, I thought I told you to wake me! Why didn't you—" Seeing her sister's burst of hysterics, she glanced at the clock that was mounted to the side of the wall.

7:01AM.

School started promptly at 8:30AM.

Slowly, she turned towards her twin, who had calmed down considerably, though she still hiccuped occasionally.

"_Nobunagun_…"

"What! You told me to make sure you woke up, so I did!" Snorting slightly, she gave a nonchalant shrug. "I kept my word like I said."

"I-I—yeah, I meant, you could at least _wait_ until the alarm went off FIRST, and THEN see if I was up or not! You _know_ I hate being scared like that!" Her cheek puffier than a squirrel's, she unceremoniously smacked her sister in the face with Bunny-tan.

"Ow—aww come on Sio-chan, don't be so grumpy; it's the first day of the new semester after all!" No response from the other, who proceeded to climb down the ladder as if she hadn't heard her sister at all. "Hey…are you really mad about that? Sio-chan?"

Whoops. Perhaps scaring the crap out of her twin sister on the first day of '12th Grade: Act II' wasn't the brightest idea in the world. Eh, too late for that; as guilty as she felt, she couldn't deny the results had been hilarious. Setting Bunny-tan back onto the covers, she proceeded into the shared bathroom where her sister was already washing up.

"Nobunaga, what did you do to your sister this time?" They hadn't even gotten halfway down the stairs before their mother appeared at the bottom, hands on her hips as she eyed the older one wearily.

"What! I didn't do anything—"

"There was screaming, _again_, this morning—"

"—I was just waking her up!" A skeptical look as the younger one casually walked around, helping herself to breakfast while the older one was being interrogated.

"Nobunaga, frightening your sister out of her wits does is _not_ a suitable method. You're both about to graduate high school—you should know better by now."

"…I'm sorry." Okay scratch that, it had been a really bad idea. But she couldn't help it—Sio-chan was just too cute not to tease. "…Can I eat now?"

Sighing, their mother let her go, although everybody knew that it would just go in one ear and out the next. Still, there was no denying that the twins had a special bond—regardless of how much she teased her, they were always together, sharing everything—clothes, room, and secrets galore.

"Oy Sio, hurry up would ya? We gotta head out now or we'll really be late." Despite having been delayed, Nobunagun almost always managed to finish eating first, while Sio was often the last one at the table.

"_Maah_, Nobu-_nee-sama_, wait!" Struggling to get her shoe on, the twins waved a quick bye to their parents before heading into the warm sunshine.

"And there they go…it's hard to believe they'll be heading off to university so soon…" As soon as the twins disappeared from view, their mother closed the door as the father got ready for work.

"Well, they can't stay little girls forever…though, sometimes it does seem like it all passed by so quickly…"

"Asao-san! _Ohayo_!" Halfway down the path to school, the twins usually met up with one of their (or maybe only) best friend, Kaoru Asao. Well, technically Nobunagun always felt a little weird towards the more-reserved girl; she had approached Sio first, and then the two had struck up an unusual (most popular girl in school hanging out with the class outcast whose twin was the most-feared student in the entire 12th grade) but close, friendship. Not that Asao-san was a bad person, rather she was grateful for her in getting Sio to open up around others more, but she had a feeling that she would never be as close or understand the girl as much as her sister did.

"Yo, Asa-_o_," she greeted casually, before letting the two walk side-by-side as she fell into step just behind them. This was fine, the way it had been for a long time it seemed; the two would talk about all the trivial, fluffy things that she deemed 'girl talk', while Nobunagun contemplated on her own. Not that she was jealous or anything, of course not.

…Well, maybe just a little. Sometimes. Like whenever the two of them got excited like they were right now, and seemingly forgot that hey, she was walking right behind them and yeah, going to see the latest Godzilla movie sounded like fun too—

"—What about Mami-chan? Should we invite her too?"

"—Mmm! I'm sure she's free this weekend…"

_'Uh, hello? I'm free this weekend too…'_ Grumbling to herself, by the time they reached campus, her mood had turned sour, and all the students avoided her more than they already usually did. Even their new homeroom teacher didn't dare say anything as she took the seat right next to her sister, despite it having been assigned to some random dude (who quickly packed up his books and switched without a word).

_'Tch, guess I won't be going anywhere this Saturday…' _Her moody thoughts about Sio's plans were interrupted by the sudden arrival of two very new, very interesting—whoa were those _green_ eyes? And _silver_ hair?—

"Settle down everyone, please, I have a quick announcement to make; for the remainder of the school year, we've been lucky enough to participate in an exchange program with one of London's top high schools. As part of the program, we will now have two student-teachers to help with your English lessons—Adam Muirhead-san and his brother, Jack Muirhead-san. The rest of the time, they will be regular students, just like you, so please do your best to make them feel welcome here."

The room immediately started buzzing with activity, rumors flying abound about the two _gaijin_ brothers who were very clearly twins. _Handsome_ twins at that. Nobunagun felt her cheeks flushing, unconsciously licking her lips. She'd gone out with a few guys last year, nothing special—mostly they'd either bored her to tears or ended up being terrified of her—but this, them… Vaguely she wondered who would be better in bed.

"Ah, so there's two seats in the middle of the row—you can decide where you'd like to sit," the sensei pointed at the vacancies, both of which just happened to be right between her and Sio.

The one on the right—Jack, was it?—pulled what appeared to be a quick smirk, though it was so subtle that she doubted anybody caught it, but as he sidled up to the spot next to her, she could've sworn he gave her a wink.

Hmm. Well, this would certainly be an interesting semester…

"Oh my god, did you see those two? They're _soo_ hot—"

"—very tall! But I guess all Europeans are like that…"

"—those dreamy eyes…such a piercing color!"

"I wonder why they have white hair though?"

Lunchtime was in full swing, and to her surprise, Sio had opted to eat together with her, just the two of them, instead of grouping together with Asao-san's little clique. Inwardly she felt a little better, that she was probably just overreacting again about Sio outgrowing her.

_'I don't care where our futures end up; I'll always be by her side, no matter what…'_

"_Ano_, Nobu-_nee-sama_, so, what did Muirhead-san want?"

She nearly spit her juice out all over the latest issue of Tanks Monthly that the two were pouring over. "Wh-what?! What are you talking about, he just happens to sit next to me! And which one are we talking about here, can't you just use their first names?"

Sio just giggled and popped another tomato into her mouth. "Oh, Jack-san I guess, but I thought it looked like he was going to talk to you at the beginning of class…?"

"Nuh uh. All I did was say hi and tell him my name." Shrugging, she flipped to the next page, until a shadow was suddenly cast over the text.

"Well, you are Miss Nobunaga, correct? And your sister, Miss Sio." Speak of the devil. "I gotta say, I never expected a _girl_ to have a name like that…"

The entire class seemed to have fallen into a sort of hush, all eyes on one of the new arrivals who was very clearly engaged with the school's most infamous set of twins. Slowly, she closed the magazine, before standing up.

"First off, it's Nobuna_gun_, and secondly, how's that any of your damned business?" Next to her, she could see her sister blushing and shaking her head half in apology, half in embarrassment at her brash behavior. "Oh hush Sio, it's fine."

To her surprise, he didn't seem offended at all, only gave out a low chuckle that was strangely pleasing to her ear. "Okay then, Miss Nobuna_gun_, if that's how yeh wanna be called, 's fine by me. What, you some sort of gun-nut?"

"What's it to you?" She replied just as cooly, the whole school knew by now that the Ogura twins were hardcore military-otaku, but this newcomer, this _gaijin_—

"—Nothin'. I just appreciate people who aren't like others, that's all." He gave a quick glance over at Sio, who looked like she just wanted to crawl under a rock. "Are you th' one who does all th' talkin' between you two or somethin'?"

In an instant did she get right up in his face, his pupils contracting slightly as she grabbed him by the collar, though he did not back down. "Listen Muirhead—"

"—Jack please, nobody calls me by my last name—"

"—all right, _Jack-san_ then. You're new around here, so I'll let you off just this one time. But you see, there's a little rule that everyone else follows, and that is, _you don't fuck with my sister._ Else I'll cut off your balls and sell them to a Krogan."

The classroom turned so quiet you could hear a pin drop, although unfortunately for Sio, this kind of blackmail-followed-by-awkwared-silence had sort of become normal. Every year, there was some student, either new or just entirely oblivious, who would attempt to either hit on her or interact with in some way that displeased Nobunagun (read: everything) and they would go through this entire spiel. It had gotten to the point where the teachers didn't even bother reporting her anymore, and she never actually hurt anybody.

Well, none that were on the record, anyway.

He kept staring at her for a few more seconds, which was strangely unnerving—and nothing unnerved her—but just his face, those startlingly beautiful eyes—

"…Heh. You've got quite a temper, don't you Miss Nobunagun…but that's okay, I can understand your sentiments…'fter all, takes one t'know one, right?" Just as she released him from her death grip, the other one came back, two bottles of tea in hand and looking very confused at this scenario before him. "Oh hey Adam, good timing—"

"—Jack, what did you—"

"—Nothing. Just sayin' hi to our, ah, neighboring twins…"

As if time had started up again, now that she was no longer issuing death-threats, everybody resumed their conversations, like nothing ever happened. Adam looked like he wasn't buying it, but clearly he was too polite to say anything more, at least in public. Hmm, if she had to take a guess, she'd put him to be the older one…although, then again, she was the elder and there were times that Sio was more mature than she was. Details, details…

They were just about to start afternoon classes when he casually leaned over, making it look like he was just reaching for something in his bag but she heard his whisper—

"—for the record, I think your balls would be worth more to a Krogan than mine."


	3. Dried Up Youthful Fame

**A/N: General viewpoints in this story will switch; right now, it's Adam's turn.**

* * *

"All right, 'fess up; what were yeh goin' on about during lunch?"

"I already told ya, I was just sayin' hello! Honest! Why ya gotta always suspect me of doing somethin' wrong…"

It had been one of the longest days of Adam's life, and to think, it wasn't even fully over yet. Keeping inline with Japanese 'tradition', both brothers had somehow defaulted into joining the English Literature club, although he had a feeling that Jack was only doing it just for arbitrary reasons and if that was the case, he wasn't sure how long they'd both stick around. Perhaps something more interesting, like kendo or fencing…but maybe later. Like after he got his bearings in this country that was very similar, yet very different than their home of London, England.

"I am not; but then how else are yeh gonna explain why I came back t'find you an' that Ogura girl up in each other's faces?" If there was one advantage about being twins, it was that lies were practically nonexistent. Unnecessary. No use in lying, because what was the point, when your twin already knew everything about you?

The class had quieted down considerably after that little display during lunch, and certainly it was better than the eye and earful they'd both gotten during the morning introductions. Although he'd mentally prepared himself for this, even back when they were still seriously considering doing the exchange, there was nothing quite like being gawked at by a class full of strange faces, half of whom were only fascinated with them because they were gaijin twins and half of whom seemed only interested in getting in his pants.

It had been rather…unsettling, to say the least, but at least it seemed like Jack was taking it in perfect stride. Then again…he'd always been like that. Younger one or not, he'd always been the more open one, the brash one, never afraid of others' opinions and just doing whatever the hell he wanted, whereas Adam would be the one to hold back and think, before he actually acted.

His twin sighed and shifted the bag across his other shoulder. "Eh…it wasn't really a big deal or anythin'; I was just noticing how she—Nobunagun—always seemed to speak 'stead of th' other one. Kinda like you an' me, 'ey?"

"'Nobuna_gun_'? I thought her name was Nobunaga…yeh know, like the famous warlord."

A shrug. "Hell if I know; though I heard from some of the other students that apparently both of them are military _otaku_. Even the other one—Sio—though yeh wouldn't be able to tell at just a glance."

Military otaku? Well, that was new. "Guess yeh can be an otaku of anything here in Japan…" He hadn't interacted with the sisters much yet, aside from a perfunctory apology about Jack's rudeness (which was returned by an equally embarrassed Sio about Nobunagun's behavior). Nobunagun and Sio Ogura…what were the odds that they'd meet another set of twins in their new school, and a set of girl twins, no less?

The lock clicked and the door to their apartment opened, Jack not even bothering to take off his shoes before dumping the school bag onto the couch. Adam was just glad that this first day had gone more-or-less smoothly. "Oy, take off yer shoes dammit, we can't scuff th' floor, remember?"

"_Hai hai, onii-chan~_" His brother rolled his eyes as he mimicked the high-pitched squeal those Japanese girls seemed to always adopt whenever they talked to him during class—especially when the teacher had asked them to go around helping others during the English lesson. He wasn't sure if they were nodding and saying yes because they understood him or because they were too enamored with him in general. Growling, he gave a slight punch to the back of the other's head.

"Quit messin' around; God, we haven't even been here for more than a week and already I'm havin' doubts about puttin' up with being stared at like a…_freakshow_…"

It wasn't like they hadn't talked about it seriously; sure, it was Jack who initially came up (impulsively, like always) with the idea of volunteering the two for the exchange program the moment it had been mentioned in their class back in London. And okay, maybe he would admit to having a slight fascination to Japanese pop culture (strictly casual mind you, nowhere near the levels of any meaning of otaku) and hey, if it was going to be pretty much paid for by the school then why the bloody hell not?

Though the thought of leaving their mother all by herself for a good half-a-year did pain him; despite her constant reassurance to both boys that this was a wonderful opportunity, and that they should both take this chance to explore the world, he still felt guilty about essentially leaving her behind. Ever since he became old enough to understand responsibility, he had unconsciously adapted the role of 'man of the house', so to speak. He didn't remember anything about their father—neither of them did, and the only thing their mother had ever mentioned was that she was only grateful to him for one thing—and that was the two of them.

"Ouch. A bit harsh on yourself, aren't yeh, Adam? C'mon, don't be such a cynic—yeh know how Japanese are with outsiders—'specially foreigners. They don't really mean any harm by it." Some time during the midst of his own thoughts, Jack had apparently changed out of his uniform and into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that said 'Keep Calm and Go F*ck Yourself.'

Which was actually very typical of him.

"I _know_; it's just…weird, I guess. Dunno how well I'm gonna do with this whole 'student-teacher' thing…" It also probably didn't help that both of them were over 6 feet tall and incredibly pale. Even back in England, there'd been rumors that they had some form of albinism, and only their eyes had been spared the genetic anomaly that had otherwise left them with near-translucent skin and silvery-white hair that gave rise to countless teasing and a fair number of fights in the schoolyard.

Green eyes just like his own blinked back at him. "Hmm, well, 's not like a serious position. I feel like it'll just boil down to being a human spell-checker and Japanese-to-English dictionary." Even after all these years, Adam was still surprised at Jack's ability to quickly size up and adapt to just about any situation, all without much difficulty. "Though, if we're talkin' about 'private' tutoring…"

"Ha ha, very funny. This ain't yer typical _hentai_ manga scenarios, yeh know…" His uniform was getting kind of stuffy; best change out of it soon, especially if he was going to cook later. "…Just, how can you be so…calm about all this?"

"…I wouldn't say I'm calm about it, y'know." The computer chair gave a squeak as the other sat down while he carefully hung up his uniform, standing around in nothing but his boxers. Luckily the curtains were drawn. "I guess I just…don't see the point in makin' a fuss. We're here, we're kinda, y'know, committed to sticking this thing through 'til the end. What else are yeh gonna do?"

Though he wouldn't have minded sharing a room, the apartment they'd been assigned to had come with two (albeit tiny) bedrooms, though the bathroom was shared. Not that he cared—he'd grown up his whole life sharing just about everything with his brother, to him the bathroom was just another resource between the two. Unlike Jack, who was surprisingly a neat freak, he hadn't had the time nor energy to even think about unpacking his clothes yet, digging through his suitcase for something to wear while his brother perched backward in his chair, making a grimace at the mess he was creating as he clawed through for that one t-shirt.

"I don't know. I guess I…just wasn't expectin' it."

"…Are you really that uncomfortable here?" A solemn statement, and he knew Jack was feeling guilty about roping him into this whole thing. "…Sorry. If you really don't wanna do this—"

"—Don't; I'm not mad at you; remember, I agreed to it too, all right?" Buttoning up his polo, he opened the curtains again, the sun now sinking nearly below the horizon. "T'be honest, I don't care where the hell we are, as long as I know yer stickin' by me." He usually didn't say such…fluffy things, but it was true; no matter the situation, time or place, he would be okay with it so long as Jack was with him. That bond, that irreplaceable trust that was closer than even that of normal siblings…

If something ever happened to Jack, he didn't know what he'd do.

His brother was silent for a bit, his expression unusually serious for once. No doubt he was trying to reconcile his own feelings… If it had concerned anybody else, Jack would've simply responded with that acerbic tongue of his, but if it was Adam…just one word, even a hint of disapproval from the older one, and he'd shatter like glass. Sighing, he walked over and gently ruffled his silvery hair.

"Oy, stop bein' so glum; else yer gonna start makin' _me_ feel bad." The bond worked both ways, he supposed—if one wasn't happy, then the other couldn't be either. "If yeh really wanna do somethin', how about hangin' up my clothes for me while I make dinner?"

"…Slave-driver." Normally Adam would've retorted with some snark or another, but right now he just grinned.

"Hey, you started it. 'Sides, you've always been better at this…organizing shit than me." His brother simply made a face. "What, don't think I didn't see your…discomfort at all this pile of clothes, I know it's upsetting yer 'OCD neatness' tick—"

"—all right all right, I get it! Now just go do your little domestic-shtick while I organize your sorry excuse for a closet—ow!"

Now that was a remark that warranted at least a playful punch to the shoulder. "Shut up, ya wanna eat dinner or not?"

"_…Hai, onii-chan…_"

Both of them simultaneously burst into hysterics at that.

True to his word, when Adam returned to his room just before dinner, his room had been completely straightened up: luggage to one side, his uniform hanging in front for the next day, textbooks stacked by subject on his desk and clothes put away. By _color_.

Which was why he was always baffled at how Jack tended to make a mess in the kitchen, when his room was always spotless. Not that he couldn't cook—quite well in fact—just, it always seemed like he took twice as long and spilled things twice as often as Adam. Oh well, as long as he cleaned up afterwards…

"I wonder, if those Ogura twins are like us, too…"

"Eh? Whaddya mean…'like us'?" Chopsticks paused in mid-air, the piece of fish nearly slipping from its grasp but he noticed at the last minute and caught it before that happened.

"No…I just mean, it's interesting, y'know, to meet another one…kinda, like you…ahh, fuck if I know what I'm sayin'. Nevermind."

He knew Jack wasn't done though, that if he simply just let him ruminate on his thoughts, he would start talking without any prodding. And sure enough…

"…I mean, just to…talk to another twin. I guess I'm curious; even if they're girls, 's not everyday yeh meet another set. An identical set, too. Even if they are gun nuts."

Silence. "So…yeh wanna be friends, eh?" Knowing his brother, if he could get more than that—all the better.

"Why do you sound so suspicious all of a sudden, brother dearest."

"Yer imaginin' things." Picking up his plate, he piled the dirty ones into the sink—washing them was not his job—before going back to wipe up the table. "What makes yeh think they're gonna appreciate just being…suddenly approached by two _gaijin_?"

"…'Cause they're twins too?"

Hm. To be honest, he was quite curious himself. Just the fact that Nobunagun girl hadn't backed down at all in the usual polite-Japanese manner, but rather confronted Jack…maybe they would be more interesting than the rest of the female population who were constantly fawning all over them.

"…Also, I think they like t' play video games."

One silver brow raised. "What makes yeh say that?"

"…Well, right before yeh came back, she threatened to cut off my balls an' sell 'em to a Krogan." Despite the harshness of the threat, there was a slow grin forming on his brother's face, his sharp teeth giving him a rather predatory-like appearance—

"—Jack!"

So much for a smooth first day.


	4. Irony

"_Ano_, Nobu-_nee-sama_, what're you doing?"

It was nighttime now, both girls lounging in their room before their supposed bedtime (not that either of them really followed it, leading to more than one harried morning). Although Sio always took the bottom bunk, both were currently sprawled over the covers, she continuing to mark certain pages in the magazine while Nobunagun was assembling some sort of model.

"Eh? Can't you tell, it's supposed to be the Panzer IV Ausf. D from 'Girls und Panzer', remember? I thought you loved that show."

Oh yeah. Nobu tended to regard any and all hints of _moé_ with distaste, but she'd managed to rope her into watching at least one series together that didn't involve massive amounts of blood and violence. And yeah, so it was more fluff than action, but she did appreciate the accuracy of the tanks represented.

"Ah, I was just making sure…you're always more knowledgable than me, Nobu-_nee-sama_." A slight yelp as she was tapped on the nose by Bunny-tan.

"Oy, how many times have I told you to stop underestimating yourself? You're plenty smart; you just need to have more confidence." Squinting, her sister hadn't even remembered to put on her sleep shorts, too caught up in finishing the figurine before bed and really, if it weren't for her parents she would've had no issues going to sleep nude.

Blushing, the younger girl curled next to her sister's lap, watching her nimble hands assemble the tank with amazing speed and skill. _Stronger, smarter, more charismatic_…Nobunagun was everything that Sio wanted to be, wished that she could have. Despite her fierce exterior, there were plenty of guys who still tried their chance with her, and she'd heard rumors of a Nobunagun _fan club_ among the first-year girls.

Which was only just slightly creepy.

_'And I'm just plain old Sio Ogura, nothing special, except for being a military otaku and always being chosen last for sports teams.'_ But that was okay, because she didn't need to be in the spotlight—didn't like being in the spotlight. Even if it meant spending her entire high school career as a wallflower, in the shadow of her sister, that was okay…because as long as Nobunagun was successful, that was enough for her.

Still, today had been very exciting, if only because of those new transfers…the Muirhead twins. Adam-san and Jack-san. They had to be identical, because if they stood side-by-side and didn't say a word, she wouldn't have been able to tell them apart. Tall, incredibly pale and both sporting the exact same messy haircut for their silver strands, but her favorite feature was their eyes. She'd never seen such a brilliant color before, so _green_…

"…Almost like emeralds…" she mumbled, remembering Adam-san's apology upon returning and finding her sister squaring off with Jack-san.

"Huh? You'd say something, Sio?"

"E-Eh? A-ah, no, just…I can't believe we got two new students for this semester."

Her sister's mouth curved into a grin. "Oh ho? Those guy twins, right? Yeah, I was super surprised too; can't believe we actually got a school to do an exchange with us."

"Yeah…I hope I can improve my English this semester…"

"Really? 'Improve your English'? That's all you're interested in?" Having finished the tank, Nobunagun carefully set the model on her desk, her grin only growing larger. "Sure you're not interested in something else…or should I say, _someone_ else?"

Sio felt her cheeks flush. "N-Nobu! They've only just arrived, and you're already ch…choosing between them?!" If there was one thing she had to disagree with her sister on though, it would have to be their attitudes towards relationships. Ever since they hit adolescence, the older twin had no qualms about embracing her sexuality, perfectly fine with engaging in casual flings, whereas Sio couldn't even think about holding hands without getting a nosebleed. Not that she was saying her sister was promiscuous…okay maybe more lascivious…while she didn't constantly sleep with the nearest able-bodied person, all her relationships so far hadn't gone anywhere deep, nor had they lasted more than a few months. Despite Nobunagun being relatively good about keeping such activity out of the way, the knowledge that it existed still bothered her.

She just never had the courage to tell her how she really felt about it.

"_Hai hai_, calm down Sio-chan. I'm just joking…kind of." Suddenly her sister looked rather bashful, as if embarrassed but pleased at the same time. "But come on, you have to admit, they are pretty damn hot."

Well, she would have to agree with that…silvery strands, combined with that well-defined jawline and those lovely, lovely eyes… "…Yeah, they are really…good looking…" A rush of heat shot through her body and she shivered slightly, startled at the intensity of the emotion, though it was only for a moment.

Her sister gave a low whistle. "Whoa, did I just hear what I think I heard? My little Sio-chan actually showing interest in a _guy_?"

"I-I'm just saying I think they're attractive! That doesn't mean I'd want to…_date_ either of them…" Stuttering, as always when she was flustered, she buried her face into the pillow. "Though it sounds like you're already pretty set on one of them…"

"Ehh well…okay look, at the very least, I wanna get to know them better; let's face it, when's the next chance we're gonna meet another set of twins?"

She did bring up a good point; sometimes Sio thought half their notoriety came not only from Nobu's antics, but just from them being anomalies. Two souls who happened to be born at the exact same time.

"But in all seriousness, if either of them decides to make a move on you…well, they've gotta go through me first."

Sio just sighed and turned off the lights as they got into their respective bunks. "Don't worry Nobu-_nee-sama_, I kinda doubt that'll happen…"

Even if as she was being overtaken by drowsiness, she kept thinking back to a certain set of jewel-like eyes…

* * *

"Wrong; yeh misspelled 'genetics'. It's '_g_-e-n-e-t-i-c-s,' doesn't start with a 'j'."

A bored green iris blinked back against slightly irritated maroons. How was it that she could've ever thought he was attractive last night—had to have been tiredness—certainly whatever little fantasy she'd harbored about this _gaijin_ being thoughtful, kind and attentive—

"—Oy! Yeh listenin' squirt? Do you wanna get a good score on this essay or not?" That tone of annoyance, as if she wasn't even worth a second of his precious time—for once, she wished she was bold like her sister and had the guts to slap him in the face.

"…I _do_, I just…forgot, okay?! Give me a break, I'm not a native speaker like you! And also, my name isn't 'squirt', it's Sio Ogura!" Groaning, she planted her face into the desk, tired of having to edit her English essay for the nth time. If only it wasn't due directly next period, she would never have in a million years agreed to spend her lunch break with _him_, sitting in an empty classroom instead of chatting with Asao-san or eating with her sister.

"Excuses won't get yeh nowhere. Now hurry up, we've only got ten more minutes before lunch is over."

Flustered, she angrily crossed out the word and re-wrote it, her pencil digging into the paper all the while. "If you're not interested in helping, then just say so and I won't bother you next time!"

An awkward silence descended upon the room as she realized the words that tumbled out of her mouth. Oh crap. Though he hadn't said a word, she could tell by his expression that he'd definitely hadn't been expecting that from her.

Why did this always happen to her? Her inability to coherently convey how she really felt…as if her stuttering wasn't bad enough, but she could never muster the courage to say what she really wanted to, unlike Nobunagun; and the few times she did like right now, it was usually without any forethought or filter.

"_A-Ano_, I-I-I, didn't—I'm sorry—"

"—No; I, uh, should actually be…apologizing." A sigh, although not in any sort of annoyance at her. "Sorry; 's just, this is kinda, new to me too…never really taught people before, much less in another language, so I…" He fidgeted in his seat, as if uncomfortable about sharing something so personal with her. "…I volunteered to do this; so, it's my responsibility to be better about being patient."

She nodded, feeling even worse. Of course, he was just a student like her, just because he was perfectly bilingual didn't mean he was going to automatically know how to teach her and magically raise her grades in English. "O-Oh, no no no, I…totally, understand. Actually, I…should probably be better about, being patient too…"

"Yeh, well, I guess we've both got somethin' to learn, 'ey?" His mouth curved into a small smile, and for some reason she felt herself automatically returning it. "Though I gotta say, I think that's the first time I've heard yeh talk like that. Isn't your sister the one who usually speaks?"

Sio blushed in embarrassment. "A-Ah, I'm so sorry! It's just…I-I, I'm no good when it comes to, t-talking, to people I'm not familiar with…n-n-not that I'm, s-s-saying you're, a, stranger or anything Muirhead-san, I, I—" Here she went again, just blabbing like a ditz without actually processing her words.

To her astonishment, he simply chuckled, in a way that made her feel oddly warm. "Heh, 's all right, Ogura-san; you don't need to apologize. Believe me, I know what it's like, havin' a twin. Yeh naturally balance each other out; one's better at talking, the other at listening. Is that how it is with you two?"

She nodded. "Uh-huh…Nobu-_nee-sama_ likes to talk…but I just, like to listen, so…I-I mean, if I'm talking with Asao-san, that's fine, but, mostly…I'm a, good listener…?"

"Mm hmm…that's a good skill t' have, I think." He glanced over her essay one last time, nodding in satisfaction. "Looks good now. By the way, 's there a reason yeh, uh, call your sister…'_sama_'? Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's usually only reserved for high-ranking people, isn't it?" She stared, unsure of what to make of it. "Er, yeh know what, forget about it—'s not my place to pry—"

Now it was her turn to laugh. "Oh, that; ah, it's really just a joke between us, when we were little… Because, you know, Nobunaga was very famous, and so we joked that one day, she would go out and conquer the world so…" Smiling, she remembered the days when she and Nobu just spent all day running around, doing nothing but playing in the endless summer hours. "I guess it's just kind of stuck ever since…"

"I see. That's a nice story. Unfortunately, can't say Jack and I have any 'cute' nicknames for each other, unless you count 'Jack the Ripper'—though he always hates it when I bring it up."

She blinked in confusion. "Jack…the Ripper…?"

"Ah. I mean, I think in Japanese it's…_Kiriaski Jakku_?"

Oh, as in the notorious London serial killer… "Ehh?! Isn't that kind of…well, mean?"

He gave her a mischievous grin. "Well now, being the older one has its…advantages, shall we say?"

* * *

The essay was turned in, and she felt better. Mostly. Muirhead-san—no, Adam-san, as he'd preferred, while not as smooth as his brother, wasn't unpleasant at all. No, he was really quite nice. Perhaps quieter like her, instead allowing his twin to steer the conversation and only butting in when necessary or when Jack-san was starting to become unbearable.

_'He is really nice…even though, he seems kind of gruff…and he keeps calling me squirt instead…'_ Though only when nobody else was around. Normally she would've instantly told Nobu, who would then proceed to beat said person up but for some reason, she didn't mind it as much as she'd thought. Nobody ever called her anything different or really even noticed her before.

It felt…special.

"Sio-chan, Sio-chan! Are you even listening?" Asao-san's face gave a slight frown as the girl pulled out of her thoughts, rubbing her head sheepishly.

"_A-Ano_, sorry…what time did you say we should meet again?"

The other girl gave a small sigh. "I was thinking, maybe we should meet at 10am by the train station? I don't want to get there too late, and Mami-chan said she has to run some errands for her mother in the afternoon, so we shouldn't choose too late a showing."

Ten o'clock in the morning? Mentally she gave a slight groan, but she really did want to see Godzilla. Weekends were generally her sleep-in days…in fact, it was rare for her to be up before noon on a Saturday, unless it was Nobu waking her for some mischief or other. "_Hai_…I'll…make it."

"Oh, that's right, I can't believe I forgot, but did your sister want to come as well?"

"O-Oh, right…I completely forgot to ask her about it. Uh, hang on, let me talk to her when we get back, and I'll email you?" Whoops. She was so used to the two of them being a unit that sometimes she forgot that inviting one did not automatically include the other. "I'm sure she would want to too, though."

"Well, we can just plan for a maximum of four people then." Nodding, Asao-san put her phone back in the bag, getting ready to leave as club activities finally ended.

She wasn't even paying attention to the chatter around the room, for they never included her anyway. But all of a sudden, halfway through packing her backpack, the room seemed to have fallen into a hush. And then…

"Oy. Ogura-san…can I borrow you for a minute?"

The pencil case fell from her grip into the open bag. No way…no, freaking way that the person who would be talking to her, no in fact _standing right next to her_—

"A-Adam-s-san?! I-I-I—_hai_—y-yes?" A buzz of whispers among the other students permeated throughout the room and she heard snatches, of anything from curiosity to sarcasm to other less…savory comments.

As if he couldn't hear the gossip, Adam sat down on the edge of her desk, acting like they were already good friends. "Oh, sorry, didn't know yeh were packing. If yer busy, I can wait for you…"

Whoa. _Whoa_. He was going to wait for her. If it weren't for the fact that Nobunagun usually stayed later to help pack up the airsoft equipment, she was sure her sister would've sent him flying already. But no, it was just her and Asao-san—wait, why was her friend inching towards the door and giving her a quick wave and a wink—_waitwaitwait_—

"N-N-No, y-you don't have to, I-I'll hurry up! I'm sorry!" In her current state of panic, the notebook jerked out of her hand and fell onto the floor. "Ah, oh no—"

"—Here; uh, y'know, yeh don't have to be in such a hurry…'s not like I'm on a schedule." Instead of handing the notebook back, he put it directly into her bag. "You all done?"

Her face was so red she was surprised she hadn't fainted as he proceeded to follow her out the door, a fresh wave of rumors erupting the second the two of them left the classroom.

"S-So, wh-wh-what, did you want to…talk about?" Why did the hallways seem so empty all of a sudden—where were the students that were here just a minute ago? Not to mention the absence of her sister; without Nobu's constant chatter, it seemed like everything was ten times more noticeable than usual. _'Nobu-nee-sama…please hurry up!'_

Maybe it was just purely innocent, that he needed to talk to her about something trivial—maybe she made a mistake during class—but this, just the act of walking out together was enough to nearly put her in a state of unconsciousness.

"Well, not sure how much yeh'd know about it, but ah…" There was a pause, as if he was searching for the right words, though it only made Sio more nervous. "Just…about clubs. I mean, Jack an' I are both in the Literature Club, but I don't really think it's for us; yeh wouldn't happen t'know about, how to switch, or…is that even possible?"

Literature Club? Oh. _Oh_. So he hadn't meant anything by it at all…while she was relieved to be not put on the spot, and glad that she could answer his questions (yes, just submit the paperwork along with a short paragraph stating why), part of her was strangely disappointed that he had not asked her anything more.

"Going on a date already? How cute." That voice, dripping with sarcasm as Sio realized with a dread who was behind them…

"N-Nobu-_nee-sama_! I, I was just going to find you—" All blood drained from her face as her voice failed and she uttered incoherent squeaks, her sister advancing like some predator that had cornered some very tasty prey "I-I c-can, explain—"

"What's there to explain? I just wanted to ask yer sister 'bout some club logistics. Didn't mean anything by it." Adam, still maintaining his cool despite the radiating death-waves that Nobunagun was giving off.

"Excuse me?! Listen you Brit, you even lay so much as a _hair_ on my sister and I'll do more than just castrate you."

Oh dear. This was not going to end well…first Jack, and now Adam. It seemed like Nobunagun simply wouldn't rest until she'd made it crystal clear just who was most important to her.

"_Maah_, Nobu-_nee-sama_, stop it! H-He—A-Adam-san just, just wanted to ask a question…r-r-really, that's all!" Just when she thought she might actually be getting somewhere in making a new friend… Though Sio loved her sister, there were times that Nobu seriously tried her patience.

As if the stand-off couldn't get any more awkward, the last of the twins decided to chose now to make his entrance. "Eh? Oh ho, don't tell you've got yourself into trouble too, _onii-chan~_"

"Shut up Jack, and I told yeh t' stop callin' me that—"

"—You keep tellin' yourself that. Anyway. What is this, a Mexican stand-off?"

Sio and Adam were in the middle of the hallway, Nobunagun blocking the back and Jack in front. To say that this was one of the most awkward moments in her life so far would be an understatement.

"_N-Nee_, can't we all just—"

"—and out of all the students, you 'just so happened' to choose my _sister_—"

"—'s that a crime or somethin', 'cause last I checked asking a question wasn't illegal—"

"—'oy, how about you leave my brother out of this—"

"—STOP!" Everybody froze right where they were, even Jack and Nobu, who looked liked they were about to punch each other in the face. "J-Just…this is, all just a, a misunderstanding! Adam-san was just asking me about changing clubs, and Nobu, can you please stop instantly assuming that everyone wants to…hurt me?"

More silence, until it was punctuated by a low whistle from the other twin in front of her. "I'm impressed; I didn't think you were capable of being bolder than yer sister—ack!"

"Shut your mouth; next syllable that comes out of you, and I'll crush your dick." Glowering, Nobunagun withdrew her hand, although she was noticeably more subdued than earlier. "C'mon Sio, let's go."

Without even waiting for a response of any kind, Sio was forcefully led down the hall. "_A-Ano_, I'm sorry—Nobu stop pulling so hard!" Silence. Which, coming from someone who usually filled the gaps with chatter, was worrisome.

"…Nobu-_nee-sama_, a-are you…angry at me? Ah—" Just as they had suddenly left, her sister came to a sudden stop. "…Nobunagun…"

"I'm not mad."

"…Liar."

For once, her sister did not try to deny it. "…You're right; I'm not happy. But it's not for the reasons you might think."

"But, weren't you the one who said you wanted to get to know them? I don't understand, Nobu!"

"Yeah, you know what, I did. But I just…" She swung around, startling the younger twin. "I can't stand the thought of you getting hurt! I don't care if it was intentional or not…"

"But I—" What to say, how to even say it; this was not at all how Sio imagined her Friday going. Instead of asking her sister about seeing a movie, they were now engaged in a battle that began the day they were born—

—the one which they wished to protect the other, no matter the cost.

"…I think, that Adam-san at least…he isn't like that. I think…he's quite nice…"

"…"

She hung her head sadly. No matter the reason, she hated it whenever she and Nobu got into a disagreement. "Nobu…I—"

"Whatever. Just…"

She wished Nobunagun had finished her sentence before the two of them stepped inside the house.


	5. Bang the Doldrums

**A/N: Suggestive content towards the end.**

* * *

_ Best friends…ex-friends 'til the end, better off as lovers and not the other way around… _

The earbuds were tucked in, lest he start blasting music throughout the entire apartment. It seemed like the weekend would never arrive and yet here they were, a gorgeous Saturday morning which could be taken any number of ways—exploring temples, shopping in Shibuya, or if he was good, starting his homework.

He gave a bored glance at the messenger bag that had been sitting next to his desk ever since they'd gotten home Friday, entirely untouched. And would remain so until probably tomorrow night, when he rushed to finish the bare minimum of whatever was due the next day.

"Oy! Yeh awake yet or what?" Adam, no doubt already cleaned up and dressed whereas he was still lounging around in bed, clad in nothing but his boxers while mindlessly surfing the internet and listening to music.

The door opened and his brother walked in, a look of exasperation on his face. "'Ey, I thought we agreed t'be ready," he glanced at the desk clock, "_half_ an hour ago?" One eyebrow raised in mild irritation, although Jack just shrugged it off.

"Whaddya expect, it's a Saturday… 's not like the store closes early or anything." Yawning, he closed the laptop and set it aside—maybe he should consider washing up—

"…Saturday or not, there are still a lot of things we need to take care of: banking, the groceries, gettin' yer train pass—" His twin started pacing the room, clearly agitated at the younger's apparent lack of responsibilities.

_'Here we go again…'_ While Adam continued to tic off their list of plans for today, Jack casually walked to the bathroom, washed up, and only when he was buckling his belt did his brother seem to run out of steam.

"You done lecturing me yet, _onii-chan_?" He deadpanned, which was met with a flick to the forehead. "Ow! Stop hitting me!"

"If yer gonna insist on callin' me by that ridiculous nickname, then you'd better keep expectin' this." Without even waiting for a response, Adam turned out the door, clearly annoyed. "Fine; if yer not interested in headin' out, then I'll go by myself; yeh can stay home and protect us against the non-existant burglars."

"O-Oy! Adam, hang on—" Damn it, why was he being so moody all of a sudden? "It's just a joke…" he muttered, rubbing his forehead vigorously. Especially given the countless number of times he'd run crying to their mum as a child, complaining about being teased as London's merciless killer, The Ripper. By all means, '_onii-chan_' was practically harmless.

It wasn't until he heard the door open did he realize his brother was being entirely serious. "Adam! Wait, you're not…you're really going by yourself…?"

"…Well, yea, given that yeh don't seem particularly interested in goin' anywhere…" Yup, definitely still pissed. "What, yeh worried?" He rolled his eyes. "I'm not five, for fuck's sake."

That wasn't the point; well okay, admittedly he did worry about his brother going anywhere by himself, but more so the sudden bad attitude he was exhibiting. "…God, what are you, gettin' your 'man period' or somethin'? No need to be all pissy over a stupid nickname…"

"Need I remind you, I've already said several times that I _don't_ like it?" The door closed, clearly Adam was not going anywhere until they either resolved this or no longer wanted to see each other's face. "Why did you—where'd you even come up with that idea in the first place? Please don't tell me yer livin' out yer 'weeabo' dreams—"

"—sorry; I just…thought it was…funny…" Once again, the second Adam seriously got angry, he would back off, shut down; truly, he'd only started calling him that because it had just sounded so…well, cute. Adam was always so serious, taking on all the duties and responsibilities, only being capable of put off-kilter by him. Especially whenever he got flustered over some thing or another—he would usually blush, start stuttering, and generally act like an adorable five-year-old rather than a teenager going on immediately to 30.

"…" Silence. Neither of them looking at each other, one feeling guilty while the other was ashamed.

"…All right; sorry, I shouldn'tve…yelled at yeh like that. Just…I'd rather yeh not call me that all th' time; 'specially in public…"

"…okay…" Head hanging, he slumped into the couch, now no longer in the mood to go anywhere, even if Adam wasn't really angry with him anymore.

"So…did you still wanna come..with?"

He shook his head. "…It's fine. I hadn't…really planned anythin' for today." To his surprise, he felt a weight next to him on the couch. "Uh, aren't you going out?"

"Tch. Yeh really think I'd just leave yeh like this, moping about?" One thing you could say about twins; it was just as easy to get angry one second and be over it the next. "…It just…feels weird, hearin' that from you…please don't call me that…"

He nodded. Fair enough; after all, they'd never called each other by anything other than their own names. "…I just don't want you to hate me."

Now the other blinked rapidly in surprise. "Hate you? Th' hell you'd get that crazy idea from…"

"…I don't know…"

"Er…okay." Hesitant movement, before he felt fingers running through his fine strands, combing out the tangles he'd missed in his haste down the stairs. He sighed a little, the soothing action putting him in a bit of a trance. "…Yeh feelin' okay? This isn't like you…"

"Yes, yes I am, really." Well, for the most part, anyway. For some reason, he couldn't stop thinking about those two twins, especially that Nobunagun…and it was a little frightening. "I'm fine; you can go out and run your errands, I'll…I'm just gonna stay here."

"Oh." A tone of dejection, and now Jack really felt like shit. "Well, all right…ah, hell, yeh know what, I'll just run out real quick t' grab some stuff so we don't starve tonight, and when I get back," he cast a glance at the newly set up PS4, "**video games**, '_eeey_?"

At the mention of the word "games" he instantly perked up, all moodiness vanishing as he nodded rapidly. Hell yes, he'd missed cussing out his brother while trying to gun him down on some map, or else trolling unsuspecting (but entirely deserving) 12-year-old dickwads online—because twins were just made for teamwork. "Yes! God we haven't played for so long—I wanna test out our connection here in Japan."

"Okay okay, I'll hurry then—you'd better not start without me!" He yelled as the door closed, a grin plastered all over his face.

Sighing, Jack flopped backwards onto the couch, contemplated for all of two seconds of simply napping until Adam got back, and ultimately decided to be good for once and actually do homework. He could be a good student too…when he felt like it. Which was usually never.

Reluctantly he trudged up the stairs, maybe just read a chapter or two and call it day…

* * *

_1\. Describe, using quotations from the text, why you think Midori asks the question "where are you now?" at the end of the novel._

One look at the essay questions, and Jack knew this wasn't going to be completed any time soon. Nope. _Norwegian Wood_ was a Murakami classic for sure, but as for trying to prove any sort of analytical shit, and his brain stopped processing. 'Might take a stab at it tomorrow…' Stretching, he checked his phone's messages, only to see a few messages from Adam stating that he'd gotten caught up in some unexpected errands, and would unfortunately be back later than he expected.

_Unexpected errands…?_ Surely it wasn't anything…serious?_ 'But if that was the case, he would've just called me instead…' _Sending back a query, he tried not to feel too uneasy about this detour.

Until the doorbell rang.

That couldn't be Adam…could it? Cautiously he shuffled towards the door, before opening it—

"—Yo. Is your brother home?"

He'd been expecting his brother, hell even the mailman would've been more likely—but this, her—

"Uh, Nobunagun…? What're you doing here?" She was dressed rather boyishly today, a mesh tank-top and cuffed shorts, all black.

"Nothing much. Just…thought I'd stop by and say hi."

"Uh…huh."

"…And also to…apologize…for accusing your brother." Huh. Despite her temper, she was actually pretty cute when she let go of her ego for once.

"…Well, Adam's…out right now, but I'll let him know when he gets back. But, apology…accepted."

"…Cool. We're good then?"

"…Yeah."

This was getting awkward real fast; he could tell that she hadn't really been keen on apologizing in the first place, but knowing their bond, Sio had probably been the one who guilt-tripped her into coming in the first place. And yet she remained, hovering by his entrance instead of leaving.

Maybe he should play the gentleman for once. "You…wanna come in? 'S kinda empty since we're still, settling in, but…" This response seemed to surprise them both, but she quickly recovered, a smirk settling onto her face.

"Sure. Why the hell not."

* * *

"Eh? A PS4, huh…" A low whistle as the girl examined their setup while he got a glass of water. "Gimme your PSN ID—we should have a couple of matches."

"Oh? So, I was right about the video games…" After all, only those who'd sat through the entire space-opera trilogy would ever make a reference about selling testicles to a Krogan.

Nobunagun let out a laugh, and he found himself unconsciously liking the sound. "Heh, don't even get me started on how many games Sio and I still have to finish…" Finishing the glass, she set it down on the coffee table. "So, it's just you and your brother, right?"

"Yeh; and you? Just two sisters?"

The girl nodded, sitting down next to him—why was he feeling oddly warm all of a sudden—"I'm glad it's just Sio; I don't think I'd want any other siblings."

Such a sentiment, shared by only those like them. "Yeah; I can't even imagine what'd be like if I had another brother or sister. Or if…Adam was never born." He frowned. Probably wouldn't even be himself right now.

"Twins are something…special, huh?" Her voice had a faraway tone, as if lost in her own thoughts—or maybe it was because she'd somehow gotten all over him, crawling into his lap—

"—o-oy, excuse me—"

"—Hmm? Something wrong?"

_Uh, yea, why th' hell are you sitting in my lap?_ But strangely, despite the sudden weirdness of the situation, he didn't instantly push her away. "…You sure are…forward, aren't you?" He gave her a glance and he knew she knew what he was talking about, especially as she spread her lips into a slow smile.

"Oh…well, I mean, I guess I was wrong about you. And your brother. Even though you've got one of the most uncouth mouths I've ever heard…you're not a bad person, not bad at all…" A finger was tracing down his collarbone, dipping underneath the collar and he shivered, for sure she could feel his pulse. "I think I'd…like to get to know you better…"

It wasn't like him to be nervous, even around girls—Adam had zero interest in dating and so Jack was pretty much the only who'd ever bothered, but then again it'd mostly been your usual flings, no particular attachments involved. So how was it that with just a few choice sentences and a single finger, this Nobunagun was already making him very hot and bothered?

"Th-there are, other ways t' get to—shit—know people, better, you know…" A feminine giggle, innocent yet sultry at the same time, as she slowly undid the top buttons of his shirt. His brain was firing on all cylinders, telling him that he was about to get it on with a girl he'd barely known for a week, not even in his bedroom but the living room couch, where his brother could return and walk in on them any minute.

And then he politely told his brain to fuck off, because hell, he wasn't about to turn down this opportunity when she so clearly wanted it, and it had been quite a while since he'd gotten any…self-indulgence aside…

"I know, but sex is faster." A shrug and her top came off, leaving nothing on but a lacy black bra. "Don't you agree?"

Oh yeah. Jack had to admit he agreed.


	6. Sweet Devil

**A/N: Warning, explicit sexual content this chapter. Hetero.**

* * *

When Sio had woken up first for once that morning, face etched into a permanent grimace, Nobunagun knew she wasn't going to be let off the hook so easy. So maybe she'd been overreacting—just a tad—_slightly_—and truthfully seeing that look on her sister's face hurt her more than she cared to admit.

_'That was just rude, Nobu! You should apologize to them.'_

_'What for! How do you know they weren't trying to, to…earnestly seduce you?!' The older one threw her hands up into the air as the younger one got dressed, getting ready for her little playdate with Asao-san that was now limited to just one of them._

_'But they. Weren't.' For a moment, it was Sio who took on that serious expression, sending a little chill down Nobunagun's spine. Since when did her imouto grow up all of a sudden…_ _No, that was another thought for another time. '…All right; I'll just look up their address in the directory and pay them a visit while you go watch that movie.' The bitterness in her tone couldn't be helped, because really, she had been looking forward to going with them._

Although, somehow the task of 'going over to the brothers' place and apologize' had turned into 'go into house of said brothers and proceed to bang the younger one'; but hey, as Nobunagun would reason later, she _did_ apologize so that was her end of the bargain upheld.

She made no promises for anything that might've happened later on.

"F-Fuck, you sure move quick…" Heavy breaths panted against shell of her ear as she wasted no time in removing most of her clothing, only lingerie remaining as she carefully divested the younger brother of his shirt and moved to unclasp his belt.

"Oh? What, you never been with a girl before…" She drawled, perhaps it might be fun to stretch this out a little bit, instead of going straight for the kill.

A low chuckle and she gasped as he swiftly moved a hand behind and unclasped her bra in one move. "I beg to differ, Miss Nobunagun," the black lace falling to the floor and he pressed a kiss in between the soft mounds, however slight it was.

"_Hnnn_…so tell me Ripper, how many girls have you 'ripped' your way through?" Although Nobunagun certainly wasn't one to talk when it came to number of past flings, for some reason the idea of someone other than her toying with this gorgeous specimen irritated her. "_Hch_—watch those teeth! They're sensitive…"

"Where did you hear that nickname?" A sudden sharp prick against her sensitive breast, his annoyance clear in the bruise that was rapidly forming against the smooth curve. "I hate that—let's make one thing clear: 'f we're gonna do this, you don't mention that name. Got it?"

So, _Kirisaki Jakku_ was a sore point for him, after all. Trust a twin to give you the most accurate of information. "…All right; since you so kindly address me as Nobunagun, I'll respect your wishes…Jack."

"Hn." He didn't say anything after that, but his teeth were noticeably absent now and replaced with the moist roughness of his tongue, skillfully maneuvering it over each peak until it pebbled into a stiff point and she moaned, combing out his silvery locks with her fingers.

Maybe one day she would look back on her past actions with regret, but for now, Nobunagun didn't care if her behavior was considered promiscuous or even slutty—if she wanted to satisfy her libido, then it was her business. Even if she knew that Sio always frowned upon these…shallow relationships, she couldn't help herself—why force herself into the suffocating binds of a social norm that was (in her opinion) vastly outdated, and furthermore against one of the most basic elements of human nature? It wasn't like the relationships were forced or anything—for her, she just never felt the need to connect much beyond a physical level.

_'I don't need emotional companionship, or a so-called soulmate…Sio-chan is already all of those things, and more…'_ At least, that was what she had repeated to herself, all these years.

"D-Damn, I guess you're—_aah_—actually, pretty skilled…" It was getting harder and harder to breathe normally, let alone talk, but she hated relinquishing any level of control.

Jack stopped for a moment and actually gave her a quizzical stare, as if not quite believing her gall to say such things. "…Either that, or all yer previous boy toys were shit."

To her own surprise, she laughed out of genuine amusement. "Hah! True, true…maybe that stereotype of _gaijins_ being better lovers…is true, to an extent…" Mmm, he was now sliding that finger of his down, down, into her panties that were sopping wet and practically staining through to his pants. "_Aahh, yes!_…Right there!"

"There go my pants…" she heard him mutter under his breath, but who cared, really? Not when he was skillfully fingering her clit, while two fingers alternating thrusting inside her. Shifting a bit closer, so she could rest her head against his shoulders while clawing against his back.

"_Haah…aah,_ oh god yes…" Truthfully Nobunagun hadn't been expecting anything special; just your typical romp between the sheets. But so far, this gaijin was exceeding and shattering all her expectations; it didn't seem like he was the casanova type, so perhaps he was correct in stating that she'd just hadn't had the fortune yet to experience a truly skilled partner. "_Hnn_, your fingers are quite exceptional…but I think, I'd—_uhnn_—like, something else…" Without even waiting for an answer, she slid her hands beneath his boxers and gently prodded his length, already hard and twitching against the fabric. "Besides, you look like you're in pain…"

"Is that what…you think? 'Cause it seems to me, your clit is harder than my dick…"

If it weren't for the fact that Nobunagun had heard practically every single dirty pick-up line in the last few years, she would've lost it; yet the laugher that escaped her lips was sincere. "Aww, you think I actually give a damn. That's cute." An almost-parody of an innocent kiss, while she repeatedly prodded the tip with just the edge of her nail.

"_Shit_—don't poke it like that—!" He gave a start underneath her and she giggled, enjoying his reactions immensely.

"Relax, I know what I'm doing," she cooed in his ear while firmly gripping his shaft and pumping in a moderate pace, listening to his moans as she used his own fluids to lubricate her hand. "You're pretty big…"

At this moment, where she was incredibly horny and literally dripping with anticipation, Nobunagun was not going to deny it: she wanted him right now, and she wanted him _bad_. Not even waiting for some sort of signal or acknowledgement, she proceeded to clamber over his lap, much to his surprise.

"_Jesus_—maybe a, I-I don't know, warning next time?!" She nearly fell backwards before he realized her intent and reached out to stabilize her frame, guiding her hips into the correct position before she sank down with a groan that sounded something like sheer relief.

_Ah…!_ She managed to take him in one go, and the difference in size was distinctly noticeable. Still, she had never been one to show discomfort, or weakness, and so she merely grit her teeth, sitting still while she adjusted herself.

"Oy, did you hurt yourself?" Huh. He was actually…concerned about her? Most guys were only about their own pleasure, or else shallow robots who followed her commands down to a tee. But it wasn't like they were even on familiar terms yet, and certainly none of her previous partners had uttered much beyond the crass sounds of copulation.

"I'm…all right. Heh, I wasn't…exactly expecting that, so…" He nodded as if understanding, and to her surprise one of his hands was gently stroking her thigh, and she realized he was helping her to relax. "Hmmm…you're surprisingly…sweet."

"An' you're less of a wildcat than your fangs would otherwise suggest," he shot back, though there was still that grin, that let her know he was not going to simply take it easy on her. "Feelin' better?"

Oh yeah. _Much_. As she felt herself relaxing, the discomfort receded as the fit become not taut but snug. "_Hnn_…it's so hot…and big…" In truth she was quite close to the edge at this point, having not had a partner in some time but it would be no fun if she just ended it right there and then. As she moved herself experimentally, trying to find a good rhythm, her vision turned upside-down before realizing that she was now lying on the couch. "Hey—what gives?!"

A smirk, his eyes glinting beyond the fringe of white. "You've been doin' quite a bit of driving now…why don't yeh let me take a turn?" He winked, just like on the first day they met. "I promise, you'll enjoy it."

Nobunagun set her face in a neutral expression. Most of the time, she preferred to be in control, if only because most guys had absolutely no idea how to actually please a woman. Still, Jack had already proven himself to be above that level, and she _was_ getting unbearably impatient… Decisions, decisions, which were not helped by the constant throbbing she felt inside her, just the pulsing from his cock alone could probably push her over the edge if she tried hard enough.

She licked her lips. "…Then you'd better fuck me damn well, Jack-san~" Oh, what was she getting herself into now—actually scratch that, she had no idea what he was capable of other than it was probably going to be more fantastic than anything she'd experienced so far.

An involuntary shudder as he matched her expression, that predatory glimmer just visible behind emerald glass. "Oh, Nobunagun…like they say, _be careful what you wish for~_"

There was only a split-second of actual worry, before any and all logical thoughts were literally shoved out of her head as he drove into her with a tremendous thrust, immediately shoving her hard against the armrest while she gave a scream of pure ecstasy. "_Aaah! Ah_, yes—fuck me!" Their joining was messy and noisy, but none of that mattered to her right now—not when she was being fulfilled in the most basic, primal manner. Sweat coated their bodies and her hair was uncomfortably slathered against her forehead, but she couldn't spare even a moment to brush them away.

_So hot. So good…_ How long had it been since she was able to completely let go like this, indulging her libido? Masturbation only got you so far, and frankly it was tiring after a while. He cupped her round bottom and flipped her legs up, and she cried at the pleasure this new angle allowed for. "_Ooh_…god yes, oh shit—!" The fabric of the couch was scratching her back in a rather painful manner, and vaguely she wondered if it would leave marks, given the rate he was thrusting her downwards.

"_Haah_—you certainly, are…different…" His whispering tickled her ear, pressing kisses down her jaw and neck. From her vantage point, she allowed herself to be the voyeur, to enjoy his impressive physique from every angle. Broad shoulders, strong jawline…and a helluva set of abs. All in all, with that unusual hair and eye colors, he was quite a catch.

It was a wonder none of the girls had snatched him up the moment they'd stepped foot off the plane, but all the better for her, she supposed. Then again, most of the student population never dared to cross her, least they exact her wrath, so…

Her stomach tightened and she unconsciously moaned, knowing that her peak was about to burst. That heavy pressure, building until it was a singularity to be reached, _now_. "_Fuck_, I'm coming…"

"Yea? I could still go for a bit more…" That teasing tone, hinting at his 'superior' ability to hold himself back…it ignited Nobunagun's competitive side and suddenly, she decided if he could wait, then so could she.

"…Can you, now…" Even if he wasn't going to come quite yet, experience told her that he was no doubt on his last legs. Slight trickles were already running down her leg and staining the poor couch, and she could feel she wasn't the only one getting wet. "Your cock is twitching so much…wh-what, makes you think, I-I'll be the first to, come?"

"Oh? Like your insides aren't already…convulsing…don't—_haah_—lie, I can feel it…"

She wriggled herself into a more upright position to meet his thrusts, causing him to stutter and lost the momentum for a second. "_Hah_—! Who's coming first, now?" Grinning, she kissed his neck and purposely tightened her muscles, squeezing him until he gave a pained gasp.

"Ch-cheater—_ah_! Stop that!" Growling, he rubbed her clit in retaliation and she jerked her hips, nearly crashing through that paper-thin barrier.

"How is th-this, cheating?! Stop being a whiner…you know you like it…" Come on, just a little more…she was already pulling all the stops she could from this position, being on the bottom. And there was no way she was going to lose.

"_Hnng_—l-ladies first…yeh?" He wasn't even bothering trying to hide it now, both of them desperately clinging to the fact that the other might go first, being held back only by their equally stubborn pride. Each push and pull was pure, delicious torture…teasing her with what she could have, but not yet…

"O-Oh no, I…_insist_ that you…go first…" Another thrust, another notch that she didn't know could go tighter.

"Only, after…_you_…" His breath was short and hot as it fanned her face.

"…_Nope_…" Gathering the last of her strength, Nobunagun somehow managed to push herself up, and him back, using the moment to slam herself down one last time. Jack gave a startled cry, not even able to retort with one last comeback as she felt him come immediately inside her, groaning and clutching her thighs.

"Yes…I win—_oh fuuuuuuu—!_"

She was only able to celebrate her victory for a single second, before she crashed and let her long-overdue orgasm overtake her completely, wracking her body with the kind of torturous pleasure she hadn't felt…well, ever. Faintly she heard him moaning as she squeezed down, no doubt the extra sensitivity making it a little too much for him.

"…_Fuck_. What the hell just happened." Groaning, she propped herself up, wondering if it had been ten seconds or ten minutes since she climaxed. Actually, how much time had passed total, now that she thought about it?

"Amazing sex happened, that's what," came his curt reply, lifting himself up now that her weight had lessened. "Yer lucky Adam didn't come back in the middle of all this…" He reached out for his phone, expression quickly going from placid to panic as he scanned the contents. "Oh shit, he's on his way back—that was ten minutes ago—!"

"Oh. Uh, good timing, I guess?" Chuckling weakly, she reluctantly parted, wincing as the overflow dripped out. "Oops, sorry about your couch…" Though, their enthusiasm had left her in a rather…gross state, to put bluntly. "Um…don't suppose I could, borrow your shower real quick…?" It would incredibly awkward if his brother came back before she left, but at the same time, she was rather loath to put her clothes back on, not when she was still sweaty and covered in questionable fluids.

He gave her a quick glance, and she knew he was thinking the same. "Hell, I don't think there's a point in tryin' to hide it at this point. It's upstairs." A tilt of his head upward, while he slowly attempted to make himself look at least presentable.

"…Thank you." Resisting the urge to just take a peek and guess whose room was whose, she made a beeline for the single bathroom. Hopefully she could finish and be out the door before the older brother returned home…otherwise, well…

She'd been in more awkward situations.


	7. Beauty & Beast

**A/N: Some raunchy banter, but nothing above PG-13.**

* * *

"Eh? S-So, you should probably be heading back then—if, if Jack-san's waiting for you…?" God damn it. Just the way she was getting so flustered, nervously tittering while stirring her hot chocolate for the hundredth time…

_Super cute._

"Ah, it's fine; actually, I texted him back and he didn't respond…" He frowned slightly, it wasn't like Jack to be so unresponsive, but perhaps he ended up going back to sleep? And really, the truth was Adam didn't quite want to end this little…er, what would you call this? Meeting? Chance encounter?

Date—

_'Stop gettin' ahead of yourself, this is not a date, you haven't even known her for a week, just—'_

In truth, when he'd left the house, the only thing on his mind had been to grab something to eat, and then spend the day at home. What he did not count on was stepping _out_ of the _conbini_ just as the two of them were walking _in_.

He'd recognized Ogura-san right away—even without her uniform, that short bob, round maroon eyes weren't something he'd be forgetting anytime soon—and apparently she could tell him apart from his brother, despite the short amount of time they'd known each other.

_'A-Ano, A-Adam-s-san? What, a…' She apparently lost all train of thought after she realized who he was._ _'—Coincidence? Ah, so you must be the one who's helping Sio-chan with her English. I'm Asao Kaoru; pleased to meet you, Muirhead-san.' _ _Her friend was much more open, politely exchanging greetings while Sio attempted to recover from her shock. As if she possessed all the social graces and mannerisms that Sio lacked, this Asao-san somehow led them to a nearby cafe, and then five minutes into the little impromptu trip, announced she had to go home and then left the two of them._

Which led them to now. Not that he didn't mind sitting around and drinking hot chocolate, or getting to know her better, but there was still that nagging little voice in the back of his mind that said, hey, your brother's waiting for you; shouldn't you head back? Guiltily he'd sent a vague message about how he was currently caught in some 'unexpected errands', though Jack had yet to send a response.

"O-Oh…I, see…" She nodded, and though she hadn't said anything, the understanding was there.

_You're worried about him, aren't you?_

"Meh, don't worry yerself too much about Jack—he's more than capable 'f takin' care of himself. 'Sides, wouldn't be much of a gentleman if I left yeh all by yourself, now would I?" Adam never claimed to be much of a flirt, or had anything more than just polite exchanges when it came to girls—but for some reason with this girl, Sio Ogura, he couldn't help it—despite the lack of closeness, something just felt so right about hanging out with her, even gently teasing her.

As expected, the poor girl's face proceeded to flush ten shades of red, all in rapid succession. "A-A-Ah, I-I-I didn't, m-m-mean…" Out of words to say, she silently focused all her attentions on the mug, as if it was the most fascinating thing she'd ever encountered. "…Mmm, it's just…I-I-I, kn-know what, it's like…to be, worried about…your other half…"

His gaze turned down a little as she stammered out the last part. True…he did promise Jack that he'd hurry so they could play video games the entire afternoon. And hadn't it been him who had specifically made his brother promise not to start without him? Suddenly the hot chocolate didn't sit quite right in his mouth, despite its sweetness.

_'Such an exemplar brother, caring more about wooing some cute girl than keeping a promise to your twin…'_ Damn it. He really should be heading back, Jack could be waiting on him for all he knew…

"Eh, Adam-san…y-you know, I-I…" As if steeling herself, she took a giant sip of the cocoa and exhaled loudly. "I, really appreciate you, keeping me company…I-I, really…I…enjoyed it…but, I think—no, I know that, you really are worried about, your brother…so, you should go home…yeah?" And for the first time since they'd met, Adam was rewarded with a genuine smile that seemed to light up the girl's entire face, as small as it was. He couldn't help but feel himself smiling back.

"…You are right; heh, I guess it really does take one to know one…tell you what, I'll walk yeh home partway—I think you live pretty close in the general direction?" He gave a nod towards the other side of the railroad tracks.

"!" Oops. Maybe that was a little too much, judging from the way she seemed to have suddenly frozen, cheeks turning redder than her eyes. Chuckling to himself, he paid their bill before Ogura-san could figure it out (a true gentleman, after all, always paid for a lady) and escorted her out, oblivious to the numerous stares of both envy and enchantment from the cafe's staff.

"S-So…y-you and Jack-san…are from England? London?" The breeze was nice and combined with the sun, meant that the mood was surprisingly tranquil. Though he didn't outright just ask for her address—that would be incredibly rude, no matter what country they were in—she pointed in the general direction that he was going in as well.

"Yeh; Greenwich, t' be exact. It's a…district. Kinda like how Tokyo's got its own—Shinjuku, Shibuya…"

"_Sou desu ne_…a-ah, _gomen_, I can't say I've…heard of it before…" And there she went again, face turning an amusing shade of pink and red while pointedly avoiding his gaze. He shook his head, it wasn't a huge deal—everybody knew of London, but that didn't mean each of its surrounding districts shared the same popularity.

"Nah; it's actually a pretty quaint area, at least where we live. Though, it is right on the River Thames, so that's pretty nice." Sure, you'd certainly be hard-pressed to beat the frantic, neon pulse of Tokyo's nightlife, but he had to admit that right now, after a whirlwind first week, he was missing the quietness of the countryside.

The phone buzzed and he scanned Jack's message—finally, had he been sleeping or was it just a bad connection—questioning on what it was that was keeping him. Guiltily Adam cast a sideways glance at the girl who seemed to be more focused on keeping in perfect step next to him, before sending back a vague reply about heading back now.

It was too complicated to just explain it all through emails, though he had a feeling Jack would never let him live it down for being delayed by a _girl_.

"Ah, I'm actually…heading to the left." He blinked and they were at the crossroads past the railway, Ogura-san apparently splitting to head back to her own residence. "B-But,_a-a-ano_…th-thanks, for, keeping me company…" she smiled that really shy smile and he felt his pulse speed up for some reason, "…I had, fun…"

Gods be damned if she wasn't just about the most adorable thing he'd ever encountered. Short of some baby animal or something, but that was a different story. Sure, at first he hadn't thought much of her looks—typical small build, short brown hair with a face that was rather plain—how the hell could he ever have thought that? For some reason all his thoughts now were only focused on how nicely her petite frame matched her rounded maroons, and how despite her stuttering she was so earnestly trying to hold a conversation with him—

"—_A-ano_, Adam-san? _Daijoubu?_" She gently prodded his arm and he snapped out of it, praying to whatever great spirit that was up there that Ogura-san hadn't noticed his absurd little daydream. He swallowed nervously and forced himself to focus.

"Y-yeh, I had a good time, too…after all, what're the odds we'd bump into each other, 'ey squirt?" Suddenly all traces of nervousness disappeared, replaced with her trademark irritation that only seemed to show itself around him.

"_M-Mou_, Adam-san…why do you keep calling me that?! I'm not a newbie or anything…" Huffing, she crossed her arms and resolutely looked the other way, though he could tell from the slight red remaining on her cheeks that she wasn't truly mad at him.

At least, he hoped so. "Well, I _am_ tutorin' you in English, I'd say that counts as a rookie of sorts…yeh?" He gave her a rather toothy grin and she couldn't help but flush again, much to his amusement. "Don't worry 'bout it, Ogura-san. You'll be fine; you're already pretty good yeh know, just…don't be so scared. Gotta get some of your sister's confidence, no?"

Where was all this…_kindness_…coming from? Compared to Jack, he might as well have been a saint, yes, but personally acting like this towards someone he'd barely known for a week? And was a girl? Why was it that already he was more concerned that usual about how she felt, about how he presented himself? They were just classmates, maybe advanced to the level of friends after today—a huge _maybe_. And yet he had to admit to himself, he'd enjoyed their little time together; _liked_ it, wanted to maybe even possibly…do it again?

As soon as Ogura-san waved good-bye one more time and headed off, he let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. Jesus…what was getting into him? Perhaps it was just the effect these super-polite, quiet Japanese girls had on everyone…or maybe he was just being weird for no reason. Shaking his head, he quickly headed back in the direction of the apartment, already the euphoria was being replaced with a sinking feeling of guilt at the thought of what could've possibly awaited him back at their home.

* * *

"Um…hi?"

"Yo. Perfect timing, it seems."

He blinked. She blinked. The face staring back at him the second he was about to open the door was exactly the same and yet entirely different than the one he'd just left. Behind, his brother could only sort of shrug, expression clearly saying 'please don't explode, I swear I'll explain everything later.'

For surely, out of all the scenarios he could have imagined returning to, being greeted by the exact copy of the girl he'd just said goodbye to, in his own home… Oh, the implications of this situation; and knowing Jack, it probably hadn't just been a friendly little gaming session or something of that sort.

"Uh, timing…?" Awkward, awkward awkward; the best thing to do now would be to try and act as normal as possible, and then grill Jack about the details later. After all, it didn't seem like she was harboring any ill intent, but just this whole setup (like why was she even here in the first place?!) just had him feeling like he should mentally prepare himself for some sort of shock.

"I thought you weren't gonna be back before I left, since…well, I just, wanted to apologize. Y'know, for…accusing you. Baselessly." She quickly added, sensing the tension rising between the two. "Anyway, I'll get outta your way now, I should be heading back too. Bye!" And without another word she slipped past his stunned figure, leaving just him and his brother, who looked very much uncomfortable yet also guiltily pleased at the same time.

Adam suddenly had a bad feeling about this.

Silently he sat the bags down on the kitchen table, all the while being nervously followed by Jack. "Okay, spill. Why the bloody hell do I come back t' find a girl leaving our apartment the same time I'm returning to it?" A split-second of silence followed by a poorly-concealed grin—"Oh god, Jack for the love of—please tell me you two didn't—!"

"—Hey, I made sure to clean the couch afterwards!" Despite his brother's reassurance, Adam couldn't help but jump up from his seat as if it was a pit filled with snakes. "An' for the record, she came on to _me_, okay? I swear, I did not seduce her or any of whatever-it-is you've got goin' on in yer little head—"

"—Oh shit I knew it; you fuckin'—you—_banged her on the living room couch?!_"

"…more or less."

"What the bloody hell's tha' supposed t' mean?! Did you, or did you not just have sex with a girl on our new couch, and one that yeh barely know might I add?!" He could feel a headache coming on, all thoughts of even explaining his own little snag completely gone from his mind now.

"I—yes. Yes, I did just have sex with Nobunagun. What, you want me to apologise or somethin'?" His twin simply rolled his eyes, no doubt annoyed at his prudish attitude. "Oh come on, Adam, It wasn't like I was planning to! It just…sorta happened."

Oh, _that_ explained a lot. There was a story behind, this, of course. "Okay; okay, let's just…just start from the beginning, please." It wouldn't do to lose his temper now, not after their rocky morning and the fragile peace that was very nearly threatening to break completely. "What, exactly happened after I left the house?"

"I went upstairs, read _Norwegian Wood_, and decided to not start my essay. Then I get your text—speaking of which, what were _you_ doing—"

"—Just answer the damned question first—"

A single glare, as if debating on the merits of arguing with him, before yielding because he was still the older one. But barely. "…Fine. But you'd better 'fess up, too." An unspoken agreement between the two. "After your text…the door rang an' I thought it was you, but of course it turned out to be…her."

He nodded. "Okay. So she did want to apologize?"

"Yeh; my guess is that twin of hers made her come." A shrug, and Adam leaned against the edge of the table while Jack sat in the chair. "And then…she…just—well you know—!"

Yeah, he knew all right, but he had to admit it was hard to believe the girl had been as aggressive as Jack claimed. "S-So…she, she…_initiated_ it, yeh?"

An exasperated sigh. "Yes, that's what I've been tryin' t' tell you! I swear, one second we're just chatting about video games and the next she's stripping her clothes off in my lap—"

"—okay okay, that's enough, I think I get the picture…" Thank god nosebleeds due to embarrassment were just an urban legend. He hoped. Even though Jack had girlfriends before, he'd never paid much attention—didn't want to. And now just even imagining a carbon copy of himself, with a carbon copy of Ogura-san, doing…doing…_that_…

He felt a huge rush of heat going both up and down his body, as Jack rolled his eyes and roughly clapped his shoulder. "Jesus Adam, quit bein' such a prude; I swear, you need to get laid…like, now."

"Shut up! 'S none of yer damned business…" Why was he thinking of Ogura-san all of a sudden? Yeah, he would admit she was a pretty sweet girl, and he would not object at all to getting to know her more, but how was it that now he couldn't stop wondering how he would react if she suddenly perched herself in his lap, wearing nothing but an unbuttoned shirt while slowly undoing his—

He had to put his head down on the table, before he fell over completely. A cold shower sounded reeaaally nice right about now… Next to him, Jack let out a wry chuckle.

"Having fun with your imagination, dearest brother? Relax, nothing happened—well, nothing _bad_, anyway. Though I gotta say, she sure likes it rough—"

"—just stop, I get it already, all right?" If Jack didn't have the shame to be embarrassed, then he would for him. "So, what, yeh goin' out with her now or something?"

A devious grin on his brother's face, satisfied with his little dose of revenge. "Hmm, I actually don't know? You kinda came back before we could make much sense of it…but ah, I certainly wouldn't object to it… Cute face, nice body, an' feisty t' boot…" He let out a low whistle. "I like girls who are spirited; not just gonna lie there and stay quiet the whole time, but actually tell me what they want. God knows it's hard enough already tryin' to read their minds, let alone what they want in bed."

Adam groaned and slapped his brother's arm before he could go on another tirade about his sexual preferences. "You're really enjoying this, aren't yeh? Bastard."

"Hey, you asked and so I shall deliver." For once the younger one messed with the older's hair, instead of the usual other way around. "Okay, so I spilled, now your turn. What was this so-called 'errand' that kept you busy while I was…_busy?_"

"Hn; if yeh could believe it, actually ran into th' 'other one' while out…" So much for being cool about the whole ordeal, his little date-not-date seemed very small compared to everything.

"Wait, what? You actually ran into her _sister_? Sio Ogura?" Jack's voice was a mixture of disbelief and glee, no doubt the gears already turning in his head and storing it away for potential leverage later on. "No bloody way; what'd you do? Get her number?"

"No! I ran into her an' Asao-san—her friend—then they decided to get something to drink so we went to this cafe, and then we sat around and afterwards we walked back—"

Now Jack was positively shaking with pent-up laughter, and Adam had a feeling that he'd somehow forgotten to filter out some more choice details. Too late for that…

"Waitwaitwait, so lemme get this straight: you two sat around in a cafe, and then you _walked her home_? Bloody hell Adam, if that's not a date then I don't know what is!"

Was it? In his mind, Adam still wasn't sure what it was. At its core, it had been just a little outing; granted it was a nice outing, but the word 'date', its connotations alone…he wasn't sure if he was ready for that quite yet. "I-I…" And then he remembered he'd paid for her, too. Shit. "…I thought it was just, rude t' leave her there, an' she just happened to live in the general direction I was going…"

"Mmm hmm, you keep tellin' yourself that, Adam." He wanted to wipe that stupid grin off his brother's face, but he knew it was already too late at this point. "Ah, my older brother is finally getting his act together! Who'd've ever thought…"

"Whatever; can we just not talk about this anymore?" So much for being the older one and in charge and all that shit. Sighing, Adam put the food in the fridge; maybe when his head was a little less frantic he'd be able to concentrate on making something edible. As in, preferably after a few rounds of Call of Duty. "Oy, yeh still wanna play or not?"

"Well yeah, wasn't that the plan in the first place?"

The system booted up and he felt the flood of excitement of the game pushing in, the embarrassment receding for now. Thank god twins were always the type to bounce back nearly instantaneously. Next to him, Jack muttered something about inputting the Ogura twin's PSN in first, before starting the game and the windows of their apartment started vibrating due to the overwhelming bass of the game's soundtrack.

About halfway through their third match however, his brotherly, responsible-older-sibling instincts kick him in the head and he couldn't help but blurting out his concern.

"…Did you at least use protection?"

"…Oh bloody fuck."


	8. And it's so beautiful

"Well, someone's in a cheerful mood—_tadaima_," her sister had commented the second she stepped foot back in the house, her face in an oddly cheerful expression as she took off her shoes while her Sio continued shooting Husks on the LCD screen.

_'A…d-date?! N-No, that, couldn't be…he was just, being nice, that's all…'_ Still, she couldn't deny the thrill that had gone through her, just sitting and talking, and then walking back–and even more than that, she found that she genuinely enjoyed his company. Despite his initial aloof exterior, he was actually very nice.

"O-Oh…_okaeri_, Nobu-_nee-sama_." Nobunagun seemed to be in a relatively calm mood, at least compared to this morning… "Ah, so did, did you…apologize to Muirhead-san?"

"Yeah yeah, don't worry; went to their house and…hung out…for a bit…" At this point Sio noticed her sister pointedly avoiding her glance, and was that a…

She'd seen enough of those bruise-like rashes around her sister's collarbone to at least know that Nobunagun had done more than just merely 'hang out'. "NOBU! You–don't tell me you went over a-and, _seduced_ them–!"

"Ow! Quit yelling in my ear, geeze." Rolling her eyes, the older one dropped her bag at the foot of the stairs, before grabbing the fallen controller and sitting down next to Sio as if a quickie with some boy she'd barely known for a week was completely normal. And in some ways, it was. "Relax, he wasn't against it—he enjoyed it, actually—"

"_He?!_"

"Yeah; Jack-san, you know?" She gave her an quizzical stare, not even needing to look at the screen while her on-screen Shepard skewered an oncoming Husk. "What, don't tell me…you thought it was—"

Sio blushed madly and turned away. "N-No I—I was just, wonder…ing…"

But it was too late; Nobunagun was far more cunning and sharp than her innocent little sister, and she knew right away where this was going. "Oh, ho ho…soo…you got a 'thing' for the other one, eh? Adam Muirhead?"

"I do not!" She screeched, turning redder by the second.

"Ahh…Sio has a c-r-u-s-h on—"

"_Nobu—!_" Before either girl knew what was happening, the game was all but forgotten as a spontaneous pillow fight broke out, couch cushions flying as Sio chased her sister all over the living room, then up the stairs before Nobunagun flew into their room and locked the door. "Nobu! Let me in!"

"And get slammed by a pillow? Yeah right!" A snort from the other side of the door. "Uh, hello? I'm your twin? I know what you're planning…and until you calm down, you can stay downstairs."

Growling in frustration, Sio slammed the door with her fists, but she knew her sister would not relent, especially when she was throwing a tantrum. "Hmph, well I hope you like waiting…"

"Spare me."

Oh, it was on. Just as Nobunagun knew her inside and out, Sio was well aware of her sister's weaknesses. "N-Nobu-_nee-sama_, come on! Let me in!"

"Forget it, Sio. If you have something to say, you can say it right now."

Her voice wobbled, and she felt her eyes getting moist. Normally this wasn't something to be upset over, but a) there was nothing more effective than guilt-tripping her sister and b) she really was hurt. "Nobu…please, I don't even have the pillow!"

Silence. Hmm, it was working…

"Nobu, I-I'm, sorry…! Don't lock me out!" And then she let out her trump card:

**Crying.**

Immediately the door opened and her sister's sullen face appeared, with a box of tissues in hand. "All right, good grief stop it with the crybaby act already!"

"W-What act…" She blew her nose into a tissue and Nobunagun wrinkled her nose.

"Puh-lease, you really think I'll fall for it…'oh please, let me in, I'm going to guilt-trip you because I'm mad about you guessing that I'm secretly madly in love with a British exchange student'—" she didn't even finish before laughter snorted through the tears, Sio couldn't help but just letting it go.

After all, what was the point in being angry at your other half?

"See, I knew it, you little faker…" But she was grinning too, poking her sister in the ribs before letting her in.

"But it worked…"

"…Yeah yeah, don't remind me…I guess I'm just a sucker for you." Tossing the tissues aside, they settled onto the bottom bunk, Sio gripping Bunny-tan and using the plush as a headrest. "Okay, I'm sorry for being a jerk. Happy?"

Bunny-tan nodded. Bunny-tan accepted the apology. Nobunagun nodded. Okay, they were back on normal ground again. Good.

"…Did you apologize to Jack-san?"

"…Both, actually."

"But I thought you…d-did it with, Jack-san—"

Her sister laughed and her lips curved into a lascivious grin. "_Ooh_ yeah, we sure did…Adam-san came back afterwards. I caught him entering as I was leaving."

Sio felt like her face was on fire. Oh god…he knew, about those two—! She made a mental note to personally apologize to him at school on Monday. Even if Western cultures were more open to PDA and relationships in general, she was pretty sure her sister's preferences were one-of-a-kind. "A-Ah, oh Nobu-_nee-sama_…now he probably think's I'm a _hentai_ like you too…"

Bunny-tan gave her a tap. "Hey, come on, don't be like that! So what's wrong with girls expressing their sexuality…he seems to be a lot more conservative than his brother though, I'll say."

"Hmm…h-he…Adam-san's really nice…" Her cheeks pinked at the thought. "He even paid for me…now that I think about it…"

Her sister, who had been regarding this entire situation with a sort of lazy amusement up until this point, suddenly snapped her gaze like a predator with some very tasty prey in sight. "Wait a minute, what did you just say?!"

"U-Uh, I—"

"He paid for you? What? When was this? Where? How?" The tables were now turned, Sio being subjected to her sister's rapid-fire line of interrogation as she felt herself shrinking into the blankets.

"W-Wait! One at a time, Nobu…he, I…Asao-san and I bumped into him after the movie…"

"—And let me guess; you two went out on a _date_—"

"For the last time, it was not a date!" Why was everybody already jumping to conclusions—though admittedly her own conscious was guilty of this as well.

The other gave her a leveled stare, as if not believing but was willing to lead it go for the time being. "…Okay, so it wasn't a date. You were with him, at least. Did Asao-san stay the whole time?"

"N-No…sh-she, left to go home…a-and then Adam-san and I, talked…over hot chocolate…and he, walked, me…back…" Her voice got smaller and smaller as her sister seemed to grow bigger and bigger, until it felt like she was towering over her like the Lord of the Underworld. "B-But it was only partway!"

"He paid for you. And then he walked you home." Her voice was an even keel. Uh oh; this could either go bad or _really_ bad. Sio gulped and prayed that her twin wouldn't go and castrate the elder Muirhead brother in his sleep.

"U-Uh…h-huh…I-I—it happened before I could, pay so…" Maybe she should also pay him back. Or offer to pay the next time they went out—wait what—

The silence was uncomfortable; Nobunagun was entirely still, and Sio couldn't tell if she was formulating a plan to either murder him or at least make the rest of his life hell. Perhaps it hadn't been a good idea to bring up this little coincidence…but at the same time, she felt a slight resentment; like, why was it that Nobu could just go around and sleep with whomever she felt like, despite Sio's dislike of it, while she constantly feared the repercussions of even talking to another guy.

_'Stop being so timid all the time! Even if Nobu-nee-sama is just looking out for me…I'm almost done with high school! When am I going to be able to stand up for myself…'_

"I-I…s-so, so what if I like him?" The sound of her voice surprised both of them, her sister snapping out of her thoughts and looking at her square in the eye, interested in her thoughts. "I-I…I wouldn't say, I'm…g-going to declare him my b, b-b-boyfriend or anything tomorrow…but, I…I think he's nice; I, want to get to know him…"

As soon as that statement left her mouth however, she felt her heart go into a frenzy. Despite her initial denials of it having been a date, she was now essentially declaring that she had some sort of feelings for him—friendship, romantic, didn't matter—"If I, wanna hang out with him…that's my business, j-just like, y-your relationship with Jack-san is yours…"

More silence, and Sio felt she was about to go crazy if Nobunagun didn't say anything soon—

"…Heh. I didn't think you actually had it in you…impressive, Sio." Slowly her sister's eyes became visible from the sheet of hair, not angry but rather pride. "All right; so you're interested in him. That's fine and dandy…and frankly, I'd say it's…about time you started showing an interest in dating. But," and then her eyes narrowed again, "if he hurts you in even the slightest bit…I'll make him pay."

And knowing her sister, she meant every last word. Gulping slightly, Sio nodded, unsure of just where exactly that line would be–especially given her overprotective tendencies. "W-Well, what about…y-you and Jack-san? A-Are you dating him, then?"

A shrug from the other girl. "Eh…I guess so? I wouldn't mind…he's pretty hot, and he's actually got more than a backbone…might be fun, I think." She grinned and Sio just sighed at her sister's usual laissez-faire attitude about relationships.

"W-Well…d-do you, think you might…_l-like_ like him? Instead of just your usual…y-you know, stuff…"

"Haahh? What do you mean…what, you're asking me if I like him as just more than some boy toy?" Sio squeaked in embarrassment at that term. "Oh relax, it's not a big deal…it's a little early to be getting into that, don't you think?"

"B-But, I'm just saying–"

At this Nobunagun rolled over and put Bunny-tan to the side, so they were both looking at each other in the eye. "Look; I appreciate your concern for my 'emotional well-being', but like I've said: I don't need anybody else. I've got you, and that's all that matters in the end, Sio."

She said it with such seriousness that Sio couldn't help but shiver under the intensity of her sister's gaze, unwavering and focused. "Yeah…I know, Nobu-_nee-sama_. You don't have to worry about that…we'll always have each other, no matter what."

"Th-that's not–anyway, whatever." For some reason her twin became flustered all of a sudden, but it was over so soon that Sio barely noticed. "Just…be careful, okay? I've been with a lot of guys, but you haven't, and so just…don't ever feel like you've gotta please him in anyway, got it? _You_ come first; he makes you feel uncomfortable in any manner, just punch him in the crotch."

Sio sweatdropped slightly. "_H-Hai_, Nobu-_nee-sama_…I will be sure to ask you if I'm confused…"

"Good."

Only the ticking of the clock sounded throughout the room, until their mother yelled from the bottom of the stairs about them leaving the TV on again after playing their games.

"Oh snap, I guess that's our cue…c'mon, how far are you in getting 'Archangel' again?" The two of the them bounded down the stairs, Sio walking nimbly down all the steps while Nobunagun skipped them two at a time.

"Eeeh…close?! I think I'm about to go into the boss battle…"

"By the way, the Muirhead-_kyoudai_ have a PS4 too. Got their PSN, we should add them."

"They like…video games?" It was like a sudden revelation came through; _video games_? Maybe they had something else in common…her heart suddenly started beating really fast for some reason as she started fantasizing about them going on dates through Akiba, or else snuggling on the couch on shooting zombies, or…

"Uh, hey, Earth-to-Sio, you…gonna play or not?" A controller waved in her vision for a few seconds before she noticed, Nobunagun giving her a curious stare. "Stop daydreaming about your boyfriend and go get Garrus first; you can fantasize about banging him later…"

_Bam_. The 'game over' screen flashed and Sio screeched in combination of despair and embarrassment. "N-Nobuuuu! You just made me die…" The controller changed hands into the elder's, while she simply sat there and pondered her thoughts.

_'Adam-san…I-I mean, he is really nice…and I would like to get to know him more…'_ Was this what they called 'love at first sight'? Well, more like annoyance at first sight with her…but quickly she was learning that not everything, or everyone, could be judged simply on first appearances…

It suddenly occurred to her that if she did end up going out with Adam, and her sister dated Jack, they would be two sets of twins dating each other. A funny little coincidence, but still she willed herself to not just go around jumping to conclusions right away. _'Don't make assumptions…you don't even know if he's really interested like that, anyway…best to just at least be on friendly terms with him, for now…'_

Still, her heart gave a little leap at the thought of seeing him again in school. Suddenly, being tutored by him in English didn't seem that bad at all anymore…


	9. Guilty Pleasure

**A/N: Warning, this chapter will contain mature content; namely, anal sex with toys.**

* * *

Perhaps it had been fate after all then; that, the next time he saw that spitfire of a girl she'd subtlety but definitely hinted at the idea that yes, she liked what happened on his couch and oh _yeah_, she definitely was looking for a repeat performance.

Jack hadn't bothered to tell her about the little quarrel he'd had with Adam over their supposed 'state of affairs', but eh, it was a minor detail anyway. As the twins quickly fell into their newly adapted routine, it hadn't occurred to him at all to think beyond what was happening right now, about any possibilities for the future or what would happen after their exchange was up.

Except…except there was just this slightly nagging feeling in the back of his mind. Well, perhaps not nagging, but unease; despite having no qualms about dating a girl after a round of unexpected couch-sex, for some reason whenever he thought about his brother and the other Ogura girl, his stomach gave an uncomfortable churn. Which frankly was ridiculous, given all the times he'd teased Adam about being totally asexual and how he needed to get laid soon.

_'Maybe it's because it's only ever been in theory, that I've been okay with it…but when it might actually happen…'_

"Hey, hey–what're you daydreaming about now, slacker?" He gave an irritated growl as his so-called 'girlfriend' (it felt so weird calling her that because she was just so different) poked him with her chopsticks, before he realized that she was giving him all the tomatoes from her bento–which she happened to hate.

"Nothin'…just wondering when my brother'll ever work up his courage t' ask your sister out–_mmrrph!_" The round little fruit was jammed into his mouth before he could even finish, a glare the only thing he could give as he had half a mind to spit the thing back out into her face. "Oy! Th' bloody hell y'think yer doin'?! I nearly choked…"

"Blah blah blah–shouldn't you be glad your 'precious girlfriend' is actually willing to feed you from her bento?" Another devilish grin as she gave him a second one, which was met with a an emerald glare, before being snapped up in his jaws in one bite.

"Never asked yeh to…and besides, how is giving me all the food you hate feeding me?! You're just using me as a human garbage disposal…" He grumbled, although both brothers hated to see food go to waste, given their frugal upbringing under a single parent. "What would you have done if I despised tomatoes too?"

"Give them to Sio."

He blinked at her in disbelief. This girl certainly didn't miss a beat…when it came to anything, it seemed. "…Didn't your parents ever tell you to eat your vegetables?"

She stuck out her tongue between bites of her hotdog octopus. "Yeah, but tomatoes are fruit, not vegetables, so there."

Jack spent rest of the lunch hour in a sullen silence, while Nobunagun simply grinned and continued to feed him whatever it was she didn't feel like eating.

"Oh? You're not…going home right away?"

"W-Well I mean…oy, don't give that look! She just wanted to show me where all the best games are, that's all!"

"_Riiight_. Sure you are." A mischievous grin lighting up his face while his brother turned an interesting shade of pink, muttering something about hanging out with Sio after school for a few hours in Japan's famed Akihabara district.

Not that he was against it or anything; just, that same little nagging feeling, even though Adam was still in denial about his poorly-concealed feelings for the other girl, that made him feel anxious. _'Why does this keep happening…!'_ Ignoring his conscience, he forced a casual smile and tried not to let his disappointment show.

"…Look, Jack, I'm sorry this was so sudden…I know yeh wanted to spend some time going over our–"

"–I'm not upset! Th' hell are you talkin' about…" Too cheerful, too forced, he mentally cursed while busying himself with clearing out his desk. "You should go for it."

His brother was silent for a bit, before taking the Japanese grammar textbook that he'd been unsuccessfully trying to cram in for the past minute and slid it in for him. "…Is something bothering you?" Why did he have to stand so close, to the point where he could hear his breathing, smell the scent of that shampoo he'd randomly picked up because it was the cheapest–"Oy, Jack! Listen to me, dammit!"

"I am listening! And for the record, you're the one who's making this into a bigger deal than it should be!" For some reason he couldn't place, just talking about this entire issue of what their relationship might become in the future–be it his with Nobunagun or Adam's with Sio–it was making him extremely agitated.

"…Well, I'm not the one who's yellin' in the middle of the classroom," a harsh whisper, as Jack realized that all the students who hadn't cleared out already were now staring at the twins with a kind of feared respect. "Fine–you know what? If you say you're okay with it, then I'm headin' out with Ogura-san for a few hours–you can do whatever you want."

And he slung his backpack over his shoulder and stormed out without another word, leaving Jack to fume silently over his own irrational behavior and his brother's decision. Fuck; why did it seem like their bond was growing more and more rocky ever since he started going out with that girl? Maybe he should call it off…but no, it wasn't like Adam was upset with him and Nobunagun's relationship–but rather, he was upset about his brother's non-existent one with Sio…?

"Whoa; so, you two do fight." He looked up and her maroon orbs were staring back at him, an intrigued expression on her face. "So…I'm guessing Adam told you about his little 'date' with my sister…"

"…Yeh; whatever, it's his bloody business…" Grabbing his own bag, he slunk out the door, with Nobunagun trailing not far behind.

"…Well, if you're not busy, wanna come over to my place?" She sidled up next to him and gripped his arm in a vice.

He gave a grunt. "…Why. Should probably get started on tha' paper…" Suddenly she came to a dead stop and he nearly tripped over his own feet. "What now?!"

"My parents aren't home." She stated it as someone would simply be talking about the weather, but he knew exactly what she was insinuating. And under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have cared, wouldn't have wanted to deviate from their planned schedule; but hell, Adam already had this unexpected detour added in, so who was to say he had to continue following it anyway?

Something clicked inside his mind, and he found himself suddenly not really caring.

"Lead th' way then."

The Oguras' house, as he understood it, was fairly large by Japanese standards; in fact, it was probably on-par with the cottage he and Adam had grown up in. A giant LCD screen sat in the middle of the room, the girls' love for video games clearly on display, and even more so when she beckoned him up to their shared room, which was crammed with every single piece of military replica that probably ever existed.

"Jesus Christ, yeh weren't kiddin' when you said you were military otaku…" Jack wasn't sure if he should be impressed or creeped out, but he supposed such things were quite common in Japan. "…Is this an actual working replica?"

"Huh? Yeah, that's my favorite gun–real handy in air-soft raids," she called over her shoulder, having at least enough manners to bring up some tea and snacks. "Sio's a better sniper, but I say there's nothing like going in guns blazing!"

_Air-soft raids?_ "Wait, so in Japan…you guys actually go running around, playing war and shooting each other with extremely realistic gun props?"

Nobunagun gave a nonchalant shrug. "Yeah, you mean you don't?"

He shook his mane of white in disbelief. "Well, we have…paintball, but tha's not really the point…"

"Paintball is fun too, but I don't like the mess it makes afterwards." Draining the last of the tea, she peered into the now-empty teapot. "Whoops, gonna make some more, I'll be right back…feel free to make yourself comfortable."

At this point, Jack had never considered himself to be a snoop or anything of that sort, really. But, given his natural curiosity to just explore and the fact that well, she had said to 'make himself comfortable…'

…Which was probably how Nobunagun returned to find him staring and whistling at her black silk, black lace, tie-only panties (very expensive, by the way), which led to her letting out as undignified a shriek as he'd ever heard, Jack nearly slamming his head against the bookshelf from shock.

"Bloody hell girl, are you seriously trying to kill me?!"

"I said, make yourself comfortable, not 'go through my underwear drawer', pervert!" She screeched, the tea nearly upending all over the floor. "Put that back right now!"

He rolled his eyes. "For the record, I found this on you computer chair, I did not go pawing through yer knickers like some desperate hound." He tossed the lingerie at the furiously blushing girl, who couldn't say anything other than give him a death stare as she pushed past him to return it to its proper location. "Never thought you'd be the type t' get so flustered over a pair of pants, _Miss Nobunagun_."

"Hey, it's called respecting a lady's privacy, _Jackass_," she fumed, though Jack found himself incredibly amused by her spit-fire temper. She certainly was a challenge, this Nobunagun; feisty and all attitude, yet could be surprisingly cute when undone by the unexpected.

"…What. The Hell. _Is That_." Using his height to his advantage, he'd shamelessly taken the opportunity of when she was organizing her drawer to take a peek at its contents. "'S that like some…magic wand, or something?" Certainly it was nothing like he'd ever seen before; about 6 inches long, purple silicon with a loop and two funny-looking orbs lodged in the middle. If he didn't know better, and if it weren't for the fact that it was made of silicon, he would've dismissed it as just some strange otaku merchandise.

It was as if another switch had been flipped; Nobunagun suddenly leering at him with a grin that was making him slightly nervous. "Oh ho…Jack-san, wouldn't you like to know…" Grabbing the object, she waggled it playfully in his face. "Wanna try it out?"

He blinked several times before realizing what she was saying. "Wh-what? Shouldn't I be sayin' that t' you…besides, have to say I'm slightly offended; you have me and my gorgeous body, and yet you still aren't satisfied?" In hindsight, he should've known better than to bring out the girl's sense of competition; but Jack, being the egomaniac that he was sometimes, couldn't help it.

There was a sadistic chuckle, and the next thing he knew she was advancing on him like a leopard who had spotted its next kill. "Aah~ well, but this is specifically made for _couples_; so you know, it can be for, both, sexes." A hand groped his crotch and he couldn't help but jump. "What, you don't get yourself off? I can vouch for this little baby, you know~"

His heart was beating several times faster and his trousers were getting stiff. Shit; he was getting turned on, and normally this wouldn't have been a problem at all, given how many times they'd already snuck around school doing it–but the sheer fact that Nobunagun was suggesting _she_ use it on _him_–

–because if that was the case, there was only one orifice where it could go.

"…As _kind_ as your offer is, Nobunagun, I think I'll pass…" Before he could politely excuse himself from this increasingly awkward scenario however, she'd pounced on him like the leopardess she was, grin growing wider and wider as he sputtered in shock. "O-Oy, Nobu! I wasn't–OY!"

"C'mon, don't be such a pussy…" She purred, skillfully undoing his tie with one hand and unbuckling his belt with the other. "Or, wait…don't tell me…can it be, you're actually a virgin when it comes to anal se–"

"_Dameru!_" He was blushing heavily, furious that she'd been able to suss him out so easily–but honestly, even he had to draw a line at getting something shoved up his butt. "Seriously, stop it!"

Her hands stopped their wandering, much to his relief, as the girl plopped herself on his chest and stared at him inquisitively. "…So, you really haven't done it before then? Butt sex?" She snickered at his flustered response. "_Hai hai_, relax~ if you really don't wanna, there's no point in forcing it–that's how it gets painful, by the way. Still, I have to say, you really are missing out…but okay, if you're just that scared—"

"–I didn't say I was scared!" He gulped as that phrase left his mouth, the girl having frozen halfway between the bed and her drawer. "Just…I-I, can't…I don't know what it's…like, okay?!"

Nobunagun returned with the little purple toy, swinging it around her fingers as she set down a generously-size bottle of lubricant on her nightstand. "Ah, well that's understandable. Admittedly, it's a bit tricky if you're a newbie…but don't worry, I've done it lots of times…and none of my exes have ever once complained…" Surprisingly, her face took on a more mature expression that made her seem warmer than her usual acid-toungued self. "Relax, you'll be in good hands, literally…the key is to make sure to tell me if it starts to hurt, to be relaxed, and of course, lots of this." She squirted a generous amount of lube onto the toy and Jack felt his mouth go dry and his pulse start pounding again, because just _how the hell had he gotten himself roped into this?!_

"You can lie on your stomach, or your back if you really want, but I find it easier if I can see your nice, chiseled ass." She helped him out of his jacket, as Jack seemed to be too frozen in shock to do it himself.

"…Is…is this really necessary?!" He was currently sprawled face-first into her fluffy pillows–with Hello Kitty cases, he noted ironically–as she slowly eased his pants down. "Somehow this feels…incredibly humiliating…"

She gave his bum a firm tap in response and he jumped. "Well, would you rather I see your face then?" A low grumble as he resigned to at least _trying_ this out, Nobunagun having reassured him plenty of times within the last 5 minutes that she would be sure to stop immediately if it got unpleasant. "Now, just relax, I'll take it nice and slow~"

Oh, sure, that was _so_ easy for her to say, it wasn't like she was the one about to be penetrated for the first time in a place that he usually would not associate with fun times. Vaguely Jack wondered if this meant that Nobunagun had experimented with anal sex herself…on one hand, she seemed like the type who was up for trying just about everything, but on the other, she also liked to be in control…this train of thought was entirely pushed out though as he felt something slippery push its way in.

"Gah! A little warning?!" He couldn't help but shudder as she pushed around experimentally, figuring out how far she could stretch it without hurting.

"Sorry…but if I'd told you, you might've tensed up in anticipation, and then it would've hurt." She was using her finger first, to make sure he was ready before inserting the toy. "Feel okay?"

"_Unnn_…u-uh, I…guess?" He wasn't really sure what he was supposed to be feeling, actually. "It doesn't…hurt, guess it just feels kinda…weird…" She dug a little deeper and something strange pulsed through him. "Ugh–w-wait, I feel…strange…"

"Strange? Good or bad?"

Jack wasn't really sure; he supposed it would probably be good, if his mind weren't constantly screaming at how embarrassing this was, not to mention the fact that she was sticking her finger in a place that most people would consider…dirty. "U-Uh, good? I think…! _Aahhnn–!_"

She was skimming the edge with her nail, while the finger that was currently inside starting pushing against something. "_Aaah!_ I-It's, it's…w-weird, but…_haahh_, it feels kinda good…" He was starting to regret keeping his shirt on, given how hot he seemed to be getting, not even noticing his own increased breathing. "_Haah, haaah_…wh-what are you…doin'…"

"Oh, that's good…it means I've found 'it'." Even though he couldn't see her face, he was pretty sure she was sporting that grin of hers.

"F-Found…wha–_aahh!_"

"You know where your prostate is?" Before he could even give her a response, she started stroking it with faster and firmer strokes, causing him to jerk his hips in response. "Aah, so it feels good, _nee_?"

"Sh-shut up–_hnnngg_, f-fuck…" Damn it, as much as he hated to admit it, her finger was starting to feel pretty good; maybe it was a good thing he was face-down after all, else she would no doubt have a glorious view of his reddened face, panting and trying not to moan too loudly. "Oh, shit…"

Just as he was starting to get really worked up, she withdrew her finger slowly and he literally sank into her bed, muscles still quivering from the reaction. "Okay, now you're ready. Remember, just relax, and let me know if it doesn't feel right." And without another word she replaced the finger with something similar, but yet different.

"Christ…what the–!" Even though she'd prepped him with plenty of lube and fingering, it was clear from the way she maneuvered this toy that it was specifically designed to reach certain parts much better than a human finger could. A pressure that was building, building, as she pushed and rotated the purple rod, causing him to whine and dig his fingers into her sheets as he attempted to muffle his cries into her pillows. "_Aah_, f-fuck…_hah, haah_…how the hell…can this, feel so…good…!"

"Like I said–you've been missing out, _Jyakku~_" She teased him with her personal nickname for him–a more Japanese emphasis on the double consonant of his name. "Don't think too much–just relax and enjoy it!"

Not that she needed to say it, since it was getting kind of hard to think anyway. Without even realizing it, he'd started to move his hips, clumsily attempting to hump against the tangle that was her sheets, seeking some sort of friction for his aching cock, as well. "_Hnn…haaah_, N-Nobu…m-my…oohh…"

"Eh? Did you want something?"

Jack was about to tell her that as much as he'd actually enjoyed this part, that maybe they could just go back to slightly more standard methods, when there was a slight 'click' and the next thing he knew, the toy let out a low humming noise and pleasure increased tenfold; for Nobunagun had conveniently not mentioned to him that this dildo also doubled as a vibrator.

"_Aaaah!_ Oh fuck, N-Nobuuuu!" As if the sensation from his prostate alone wasn't already enough of an experience, now she just had to add in yet another factor. "Y-You…you, c-conniving bit–_aahh! Haah, haannh…!_" He was fairly sure his face was redder than her eyes by now, and vaguely filed away in the back of his head to apologize for drooling all over her bed linen. As the agonizing pleasure continued, the only thing he could do was to try and maintain some of his dignity, though just from the way he was about to tear the pillow in half and how his hips couldn't seem to stop moving, he was probably going to lose that battle.

"Oh man, you should see yourself…" There was a faint shutter sound and he realized suddenly that Nobunagun was recording this, and though he wanted to protest, all that came out was a strangled moan as she thrusted the toy particularly hard. "Don't worry, this is for my personal collection only…the way your tongue hangs out, that slutty expression on your blushing face…" Despite the vulgarity of her words, the tone she used was tender, even loving. "You're so cute, you know that, Jack?"

"_Uggh…uhhn_…N-No..buu…" He was about at his limit, what with this newly discovered stimulation and just how hard he was rubbing himself against her bed. He wanted to come, no matter how embarrassing it would be or how much of a blow to his pride if Adam ever found out that he secretly enjoyed anal sex…

_'…Adam…'_ For some reason, his mind chose at that moment to focus on his twin, instead. If, for whatever insane, nonsensical reason, it was his brother who was doing this to him instead of Nobunagun, he wouldn't actually mind; no, he would just lie down obediently, and let his brother do whatever he wanted, because Adam was always the better one, always the one who was right in the end–

"–Well well well, it seems our scary little 'Ripper', might actually be a bit of a masochist?" Her voice startled him out of his thoughts, though he was too far gone to even register that she'd called him by that detested nickname. "Guess I didn't have to worry too much about being rough…since, that's how you seem to like it…" Her movements were faster now, harder and smoother as his body seemed to have adjusted quite well, in fact.

"I-I…th-that's not…true! _Gah–!_" Actually, it was true, but there was no bloody way he'd ever flat-out admit it to her.

"Hmph, you're a terrible liar, because who else would moan that loudly after getting a toy jammed up their ass? But don't worry, it'll all work out fine, since I'm a bit of an 'S' myself…" There was a low chuckle and Jack felt himself nearly careening over the edge, unable to hold himself back any longer.

"_Haaah, haahh–aaah_, I-I…fuuckk…!" It was like an explosion in the back of his mind, only this explosion was made up of nothing but pure ecstasy as he came hard, crying into her pillow that was already damp with his sweat, tears and saliva. Something hot stained his belly, and he realized vaguely that he'd come all over his stomach. Gasping and heaving, he could only lie there, exhausted and helpless as Nobunagun finally removed the toy and gently wiped the area clean.

"Hmmm, so…did you enjoy yourself?" That teasing lilt to her voice, eyes glittering in a rather insane manner that he'd learned was very characteristic of her whenever she was turned on. "Sure seems like you did. Ah, well, you can take a shower before you head back–or, after you rest, I suppose," she raised an eyebrow as Jack closed his eyes in sheer exhaustion, just glad that this little incident ended far better than he could've ever expected.

As he heard Nobunagun humming cheerfully to herself while cleaning up and covering him nicely with clean blankets, along with a mention of her 'taking care of something' (which was probably going to be masturbating with her newly acquired material), he thought of Adam again, if he was having a good time with Sio and if he would still be mad at him when he got back tonight.

And then, for whatever reason, he wondered what would really happen if Adam ever asked him to do this.


	10. (offshoot) Mother's Day

**A/N: To celebrate Mother's Day and because I just wanted to write our holders as kids. In real life I hate kids and I never know what to do with them, but d'aaawww—itty bitty Adam and Jack. And then a little bit of hinting at how their relationship is now, when they're grown up some more.**

**Part of the 'divine intervention' universe, but it's not meant to be a chapter with the main plot.**

* * *

"Jack, what are you doing?!"

"Shh! You don't want us to get caught, do you?"

Ten-year-old Jack, and his twin brother, Adam, were currently standing in the middle of the aisles at the Sainsbury's just down the street. Or, rather more accurately, they were in the section that sold flowers and garden stuff—Jack wrinkled his nose, the pollen was giving him the urge to sneeze but he simply pinched his nose and squeezed his eyes shut.

Because this was more important.

"Jack, I'm serious! We're going to get in trouble! _Again!_" His brother, whispering and grabbing his shoulder again as that lady swung by—he grabbed his twin by the hand and shoved them into the snack aisle.

"No! I don't care if it's bad, she deserves it…" A determined hiss, as the white-haired boy snuck a peek around the corner, making sure their target hadn't spotted them yet. "Just you wait, you batty ol' hag…you'll regret callin' our mum a whore…"

Adam could simply sigh and hope his brother knew what he was doing. Though, granted, he did understand Jack's feelings completely; just, he wished he hadn't chosen such a risky plan…

**-3 Days Ago-**

School had just let out at the usual time, the playground full of kids running about and yelling and chasing as parents (or nannies, if they were rich) came by to pick them up. And, as it was like any other day, a group had formed around one particular white-haired, green-eyed boy—though in this case, it was looking more and more like a gang.

"Oy, Muirhead! What's that in your pocket, eh?"

"Bet it's another detention slip—"

"—white-haired-_freaks_—"

"Just ignore 'em," a determined pull from the older one, trying to restrain his brother but as usual, it was to no avail—Jack having wrenched free of his grasp at that last insult, hurtling himself at the biggest of the group with a cry, a punch landing with a pained grunt from the bully.

"Get 'em! You'll pay for that!"

"Hah, just try it, I'll rip you to pieces—!"

"Jack, no—!"

"Muirhead! What is going on here?!" Just as Adam had feared, their homeroom teacher (whom Jack had once commented talked just like a Dalek and was twice as mean) marched straight into the middle of the schoolyard, hands on her hips and eyebrows furrowed so deep that the only thing Adam could think of was how if she added anymore wrinkles to her forehead, her spectacles could probably be held permanently in place by them. "Another fight?"

"No, ma'am, please, you've got it wrong—"

"Be quiet, Adam. I don't need anymore excuses—this is the third time this week your brother has caused trouble on school grounds. I'm afraid this calls for a letter home…"

Snickering, the bullies left, pretending all the while about how badly Jack had hurt them—look at these bruises, or this scrape—as the twins were sullenly marched back into the classroom, one fuming silently and wiping his bloodied nose while the other tried not to cry. Even if he was the older one, the one who was supposed to be protecting his brother…Adam hated getting in trouble. As if their odd appearance didn't already give others enough of a reason to shun them…

"Please give this to your mother, and bring it back signed tomorrow, understood?"

"Yes, ma'am…" Adam had to kick his brother discreetly, lest he do something foolish like roll his eyes or make some snide remark.

"Good. You may both leave now." As they walked back out however, he could distinctly hear their teacher muttering under her breath, "well what would you expect, the sons of a whore…"

For once, Adam was glad that he was just as strong as his brother, even if he rarely used his strength. "Jack! We're already in enough trouble as it is, _don't!_"

"What! You're just going to let her get away with it?! Calling our mum a, a—" He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, dirty white hair flying back and forth as he tried to wipe that memory away.

"I know, okay? I _know_…but getting into more trouble isn't going to help. And you know it."

Green eyes like his own glared back for a second, before they lowered and hid themselves again behind the white veil.

There was no more conversation between the two as dragged their feet home, the sun having sunk low now due to the fight. "…Hey, are you okay?" The walk back was in a state of dread, both twins knowing and fearing just how disappointed their mother would be at receiving yet another 'letter of disturbance' from their teacher.

"…'s fine. Quit treating me like a baby…" A sniffle, although his nose had stopped bleeding long ago. "Whatever; I don't care, I don't—I swear, I'll make them pay someday…for everything…"

"…Jack…" Poor Adam didn't know what to say, only knew that he wanted his brother to feel better. "It'll be okay…I promise…"

* * *

"I cannot believe this, especially you, Jack! Another letter this month—"

"—But mum, it wasn't my fault, I swear! They just always make me take the blame 'cause I look like a, a…"

"—Mum, he's right—"

"—besides, she called you a 'whore'—"

"Enough! It doesn't matter what your teacher said, or what they called you. If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, young man. You can't keep letting those words get to you! And you," she turned to the elder one now, a stern glare and he shrank back slightly, "I expected you to know better than to let your brother get into another row."

"I'm…sorry…" He could feel hot tears pricking the corner of his eyes, and it only made him angrier, wishing that he could be as tough as Jack was. "We're sorry…"

Only the sounds of clinking glasses and forks among plates were left, neither twin feeling very hungry anymore. Even if it wasn't technically their fault, in the end, there was no denying the fact that they had gotten into a fight, and had upset their mother. Dessert was probably out of the question at this point; though, it wasn't like they really had any appetite left.

So much for trying to make everything better; the second they'd walked in the door, their mother already questioning why they were a whole hour late before she saw Jack's dirty clothes, the dried blood—the letter completely forgotten until dinnertime as she wiped up the dirt, cleaned and bandaged up the cuts and bruises in silence; the explanation would wait until later.

"…Suffice to say, you two are grounded for a week. And if I get another letter this month, you're both grounded until summer vacation."

With that very real threat lingering in the back of their minds—for their mother always kept her word—the two trudged up the stairs in silence, not knowing what to say to the other. As soon as the door closed however, Jack immediately flung himself onto their shared bed, Adam going for the tissues as he heard his brother's sobs.

"It's not fair! Why is it always my fault? _Why?!_" He refused the tissue offered by his brother, instead letting the tears stream down his face untouched. "Why does she hate me, Adam?! I don't understand! Is it because I really am a freak?"

"That's not true! Mum don't hate you—she's just—" He could only shrug helplessly as his brother cried, he himself feeling tears falling down his cheeks. "Please, Jack…don't say that about yourself. That's not true at all…"

"Then how come I'm always getting in trouble?! How come they always pick on me and not you?"

"Because…" He didn't know what to say. While it was true that Adam was seen as the model student, it wasn't like he hadn't heard their nasty whispers behind his back, 'teacher's pet' and all that; it was just that unlike Jack, he simply couldn't care enough to do anything about it. "…I guess, I've just learned to ignore 'em, is all…"

Silence, punctuated occasionally by Jack's hiccups and determined sniffling. He quietly gathered all the tissues that were scattered on the bed, and neatly deposited them into the trashcan before pulling his little brother into a hug. "Jack, don't be sad, okay? 'Cause when you're sad, you make me really sad too…"

"…sorry…" He could feel his t-shirt getting wet, but he didn't care; not when Jack was feeling so upset, and they both just wanted to have each other at the moment.

"Dummy; you don't say sorry for stuff like that," he gently ruffled his brother's hair, earning a glare from teary emeralds. "But, it's okay, I forgive you. I'll always believe you, Jack."

"…Promise?"

"Well duh! We're twins, right? You can count on me! Pinky swear," and he held out his hand as they crossed their pinkies in a promise. "I, Adam Muirhead, solemnly swear to always be there for you, Jack."

"And I, Jack Muirhead, will solemnly swear to always be there for you, Adam."

A shake to finalize, and two identical grins lit up their faces as they somehow both broke into a laughter, giggles and whispers abound as they burrowed underneath the covers, Jack furiously whispering of his plans for revenge as they both fell asleep.

* * *

"Okay, I know I agreed with you at the time, but this…I don't know, Jack…" Nervous emeralds scanned their target, who was currently deciding which flowers to pick out.

"Relax, I'll handle it. Remember, you just have to watch my back…" Jack snuck out as soon as her back was turned, apparently debating between roses and carnations.

For today was Mother's Day, and despite how Mrs. Dalek (not her real name, but Jack refused to call her by anything else when it was just the two of them) treated them, he'd heard on good authority that she never, ever, failed to get a bouquet each year for herself.

Apparently, it was some supposed 'self-celebration' of being a surrogate-mother to the thirty-some kids she basically looked after each day, but Jack just called that 'being conceited'.

Sighing, Adam could only watch from his perch, not too close lest she recognize him (curse his hair and eyes, when he was old enough he was going dye it…), trying not to look like a kid who had nothing better to do than to loiter around a supermarket for more than ten minutes. But, Jack was his brother—his twin, his other half. Even if he didn't exactly approve of this plan, or the idea of revenge in the first place, he would never let Jack do this all by himself.

Like a phantom did his brother weave between the lines, conevninetntly hiding on the other side of the flower stand while pretending to look at the blooms on display. He nearly had to shout for him to watch out as their teacher suddenly reached over and picked out a bundle of roses, but Jack had swung to the other side just in time. The bouquet just hanging out of her basket, suddenly set onto the ground while some ribbons were being procured from the stand.

_'…Aaand, now!'_ Though he detested the nickname, 'Jack the Ripper', he had to admit at times that he did try to channel the legendary ghost's sneakiness, that ability to seemingly disappear without a trace. As soon as the basket had been set onto the ground, he pulled the rubber cobra from his pocket, quietly weaving it in between the blooms. His heart was pounding like a drum, but he was determined—because frankly, she deserved it. _'Let's see how you like your flowers this year…'_

The two of them rushed back behind the shelves as soon as the task was done, waiting for the cash register…

A shriek told them their mission was successful, and they snickered and gave each other a high-five while watching surreptitiously from between packages of flour. The roses on the floor, scattered all over as the toy snake flopped on the ground, causing other patrons to run away screaming as well, before an employee finally came over and reassured all involved that it was simply a fake.

"Well, I never—really, what kind of products are you selling here?! Toy snakes in my flowers…I nearly had a heart attack!"

Still smothering their laughter, they held hands and ran out of the store before anybody could figure out what exactly had happened. "Oooh man, I wish we had a camera—that look on her face!" Jack snorted, a pointy grin as he recalled in perfect detail what had just happened. "Serves her right though—that'll teach her!"

"Well, I'm just glad she didn't see us…that would've been really bad." Though cautious, he still agreed that it wasn't entirely undeserved. "Now come on, before mum realizes we're missing—we're still grounded, remember?"

"Oh, crap! Let's hurry!" The two of the broke into a sprint, racing up the dirt path along the river and through the gate, opening it as slowly as they could—

"—Jack. Adam." Uh-oh, they were busted…

Their mother, waiting for them in the doorway, a look of unprecedented disapproval on her face, and all joy and thrill of that prank instantly vanished, replaced by fear and guilt. "So, out for a walk? Without even telling me? And despite the fact that you two are grounded?"

"I, I—" For once, Jack's quick tongue had nothing to say; usually, he tended to speak for the two of them, always faster on the uptake and even faster with his wit.

"—Happy Mother's Day, mum. W-We, uh…we just wanted to get you something…t-to, surprise you…" And somehow, his brother had produced a small bouquet of flowers, but how, where, when—

It was as if time stopped, their mother's eyes widening in surprise, the twins trying not to quake with nervousness but Adam determined to make this work, eyes earnestly forward as he presented the flowers. "…Oh, you two…" The next thing they knew, she was sweeping them into a hug, pulling them tight against her worn apron and they hugged her back fiercely, breathing in her comforting scent: wood smoke, baking bread, and the warmth of home. "…To be honest, I had forgotten about today entirely; but look at you two, so smart, and kind…" Smoothing their hair, she took the flowers, then gave each of them a kiss on the forehead. "You're both such a handful, and you wear me out so…but I love you, both of you. Thank you, very much."

As they turned to go into the house, Adam put a finger to his lips and winked at his brother.

* * *

"…Oy, remember that time I put a toy snake into Mrs. Dalek's roses?" Fast-forward 7 years later, and change the setting to Tokyo, Japan. Sundays had always been lazy, do-nothing days, and being exchange students in Japan was no exception. Jack was lounging on the bed, head resting against Adam's back as his brother furiously typed away at something on his laptop, Jack too tired to bother getting up. The bed was a mess of pillows, blankets, sheets and laptops, the result of a late-night gaming session gone on for three hours too long, as they both ended up literally just shutting the lid and crashing.

"Seriously? That was…what, nearly seven years ago, and you still think about it? And budge up will yeh, I feel like I'm being crushed." Growling, he kicked his brother slightly, eliciting a grunt from the other.

"Hey! God damn it…I'm cold, okay?! You're warmer…"

"Then get another blanket, you lazy git…"

"…Wanker."

"Arse."

Still complaining, Jack simply opted to relocate to the other side, crawling under the one comforter that was on the bed. "…I wonder if they celebrate Mother's Day in Japan…?"

A shrug from the other, before he sighed and set his laptop aside, having long resigned to Jack's inability to listen to him. "They do, actually. Obviously it was influenced by Western cultures, but they do have it—"_Haha no Hi_", second Sunday of every May." The funny-sounding holiday (even though _haha_ was a the actual term for mother, used mostly by children) causing Jack to let a snort of laughter. "And if I recall, it was me who saved our arses, remember?" Because who else would have the foresight to kill two birds with one stone, and actually get something for their own mother the same time they were exacting revenge?

"Yeah yeah, you never get tired of rubbing it in, don't ya?" Pushing the pillows aside, Jack wriggled his way next to his brother, before pressing himself against his back, sighing against his neck.

Adam flinched; it wasn't that he wasn't used to his brother's physical presence—if anything, he'd always been the more touchy-feely of the two when they were growing up—but now, when they were older, it seemed almost…wrong. "Erm…you all right, Jack?" A muffled groan, though no words were audible, just a continued nuzzling, almost. It was strangely comforting yet unsettling at the same time. "…Hey, seriously, you're acting quite…you've been rather odd, lately. What's wrong?"

"…Nothing. Truly." Although they both knew that wasn't really the truth, something also told Adam that it would be useless to force the answer from him, at least not now.

"…Are you homesick?" A slight nod against his back, and he felt himself feeling a little guilty of suspecting his brother of hiding something. "Oh; aw come on, that's nothing to be embarrassed about! I miss mum a lot too, y'know…just thinking about how she's doing without us, I think about it all the time…" Untangling his brother's arms, he turned to face him, this time. "Hey, remember that promise we made?"

Emeralds blinked back in surprise, brows furrowed as if trying to remember which one. "…Which…promise?"

He held up his left pinky. "Pinky swear, remember? On that day when we got in trouble…and you cried, and cried…" The other's hand coming up now, both their pinkies crossed together.

"Yeah…I never forgot, you know…" For some reason his brother's face was turning an interesting shade of pink; was he embarrassed that they, nearly adults now, still did childish things like pinky promises?

"Well, you know what we promised, right? That, I'd always be there for you, and vice versa?" A nod, though for some reason Jack couldn't seem to meet his eyes. "Oy, what're yeh getting all flustered for? It's just me…"

"I-I know, okay?! It's just…kind of embarrassing…"

The older raised an eyebrow, nonplussed at that excuse. "…An' since when would I ever judge you of acting like a kid? Yeh still pretty much are one, at times…"

An odd noise from the younger, before turning his face into the pillows, face now a rosy blush. Adam couldn't help but laugh at his brother's amusing reactions. "You can be really strange sometimes, Jack. But, you are my twin. I'll always be there for you."

"…Promise?" For some reason it was as if they were young again, the seriousness of that request—_promise me you'll accept me, that I'm not a freak_—echoed once again.

"…Of course." Adam blinked a few times, unsure of what was bothering his brother recently—it had to be something, whether it was related to the fact that they were both now going out with another set of twins, he wasn't sure, but… "I told you, I've never forgotten it. I just hope…you won't forget, either—"

"—I won't. I'll never forget that promise. Or break it." There was such an emotional ferocity to that response that Adam couldn't help but shiver slightly. Jack was usually always the joking one, the one who brushed off his serious requests with some retort, and now to see him be the serious one for a change…

"…Mm. Okay. I'm glad." Slowly, he sank back down under the covers—because yeah okay, Jack was right, it was kind of chilly—contemplating on taking another kip, despite the fact that it was well on its way to being noon.

"…We should call home tonight." A sleepy muffle, Jack clearly having the same idea about sleeping as well.

"Oh yeah, but let's wait a little longer; it's barely dawn in England right now. When we actually get up, it'll probably be better."

As he was drifting off to sleep, Adam felt something curl around his waist, but hesitantly. So, his brother was still feeling a bit down…even if the reason wasn't something he knew yet, he had promised—still promised, to be there for Jack, however and whenever he needed him. And if he wanted to cuddle to feel better, then he would gladly oblige. Sighing, he let him press against his back, until he could feel his breath warming his neck. They hadn't slept like this since grade school, and though these days, he would rather spoon his girlfriend, it was his brother—his twin. No matter how old they got, or who else came into their lives…the other would always come first.

And still, he too, was glad that Jack would always have his back, no matter what.


	11. Eh? Oh, that's right

**A/N: I apologize for the long delay; several things were going on all at the same time, so long fics took a backseat for a while. But, they will be updated (though perhaps not as fast as on Tumblr).**

**Warning, this chapter will contain explicit sexual content (masturbation) and also incestuous advances (Nobunagun - Sio) but consensual. Be warned.**

* * *

"_A-Ano_…Nobu-_nee-sama_? Are you…do you have a minute?" There was a knock on the door, Nobunagun having just barely put away her newest vibrator and managed to toss the soaked towel into the hamper before her sister came back from…wherever she had been with Adam. They were hanging out a lot more these days, her sister and her boyfriend's _aniki_…it was always peppered with excuses like 'well we're just going to see a movie with some other friends' or 'he wants to check out some manga', and even enough she always came back well before dinnertime, Nobunagun couldn't help but start feeling that nagging insecurity popping up more and more.

Or maybe Sio had been back earlier, and she just hadn't realized it during her little…session? Jack was _so_ a masochist; the way his face flushed, eyes rolling while he drooled as she pegged him…he was such a cute little fuck toy and made for some great material. Granted, she had to admit that she did enjoy their verbal banters as much as their physical ones; he was sharp-tongued and quick-witted yet surprisingly cultured, and never hesitated to hold back simply because she was a girl. Even something as simple as a date at the local coffee shop could become an intense discussion, from chess moves to debating the teaching's of Liu Bei's war strategies–one time she'd nearly knocked over her own mug in excitement, much to the staff's dismay. The whimsy of two sets of twins ending up with each other hadn't escaped her, though it was really too soon to be thinking so far ahead.

"Yeah? I'm here…" Pulling a t-shirt over her head, she sat down at the edge of the bed just as the younger one peeked in. "What's up?"

"O-Oh…n, nothing much…" She quietly closed the door, and Nobunagun noticed that she was still in her uniform. Crap; Sio had probably returned a while back, but because she'd learned long ago to not enter the room when it was closed, she'd probably been downstairs this whole time. "Just…"

"Er, yeah…sorry, didn't mean to keep you locked out this whole time…" As soon as they'd hit adolescence, they'd both learned the hard (and mortifying) way that a closed door usually signaled that someone was having some 'alone time'. Luckily, twins being twins meant that they never questioned it again, but there was no denying that there was still some level of strangeness.

To her surprise though, Sio shook her head. "O-Oh, n-no…it's not that…uh, Adam just walked me back a few minutes ago, s-so…it's okay…" Her face blushed when his name slipped out–no longer Muirhead-san or even Adam-san anymore, but just 'Adam'. No honorifics. She knew that Jack had told her more than once that they both found this concept to be strange, but you couldn't expect someone to disregard such a deeply ingrained cultural concept so quickly.

But whatever; Nobunagun supposed that she should be glad that both boys still respected that concept around them, although she wasn't sure if 'Sio-chan' was better or worse than just 'Sio'. Ironically, Jack had taken to calling her 'Nobu-sama' as well, perhaps as a joke, but secretly she had to admit that hearing a certain level of submissiveness from him was a turn-on.

"Well, then what is it? Did you wanna eat dinner? Mom and dad said they'd be late today, so it's up to us…" She shrugged casually, before rooting around her drawer for some shorts.

"N-No…it's…c-can, can I…talk to you about something?"

At that stuttering tone, Nobunagun's overprotective sibling instincts instantly kicked in and she dropped the shorts she planned on wearing. "Is something wrong? Did he try to do something to you? Touch you inappropriately? That's it, I'm gonna kill–"

"N-No! Of course not…Adam's not like that, Nobu-_nee-sama_…" Slowly she sat down, but her face was still an odd shade of pink. "B-But, I-I-I mean, it, d-d-does have to do with him…kind of…"

Oh. She patted the bed next to her and her sister shuffled over slowly, looking a mix of distressed but also longing. "…Oookay. So…what's up? I won't judge or anything, I swear–I mean hell, you already know that…"

Sio nodded, although she still avoided looking directly at Nobunagun. "I-I know…and, b-before I say anything, I just wanna tell you…I'm so glad we're twins, Nobu…" And much to her surprise, she pulled her into a hug, which was gladly returned. "I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you…"

"Heh; we'll always have each other, remember?" She grinned, suddenly feeling a little better. "Okay. Is this a…relationship issue?"

"K-Kinda…"

"…Is this about sex–"

"N-NOBU! N-n-n-n-no! W-We haven't even…k-kissed or anything…a-a-actually, I…I guess technically speaking, he hasn't asked me out yet…f-for all intents and purposes, we're just…friends…"

Nobunagun nodded, taking in her sister's words. She had been mostly joking, but it was true that Adam was about as vanilla as they came; further confirmed by his brother to still be a virgin that showed zero interest in dating…until now, that is.

_'Eh, at least you get two late-bloomers with each other…could be worse,'_ he'd shrugged when Nobunagun had confronted him about Adam's true feelings. _'I won't lie though, he's definitely not as…open about his feelings as I am; might take a miracle to pull a confession out of 'im…but I could nudge him along, if it'll make you feel better.'_

"You…wanna confess? Make your relationship official?"

"Well, eventually y-yes but, I…I don't mind if he takes his time…I-I'm really happy with the way we are right now!" Her hands were in front of her face, as if trying to ward off any of Nobunagun's gung-ho ideas. "This is…well, it's really just me…but, it has…to do with him…"

Nobunagun blinked. While Sio's stutters and shyness were cute, her inability to say it straight could be severely hampering at times. "Sio-chan…look, I know this is probably really hard, but could you just tell me what you want? I have no idea what you're talking about…"

At this the girl squeaked and stuttered, and Nobunagun was getting some idea of what it might be…for there were only a few things that would cause Sio to jitter like a squirrel with ten cups of coffee…and it usually involved some sort of sexual theme.

"I-I…it's just…u-u-um, N-Nobu…d-do, do you…I-I mean, is it…normal, to like…I-I mean even though we haven't done anything but hang out we haven't even kissed or really held hands or–" she took a deep breath before facing her twin. "I…I've been f, feeling…w, weird, lately…"

_Aaahh_. The light switch went off in her head instantly. So, her 'little' sister was finally starting to realize her own budding sexuality… "Ooh…I see. Don't worry Sio, I totally understand. You're uh, starting have some…_urges_, huh?"

"Nobu-_nee-sama_! M-Must you…s-say it like that…it sounds so dirty…"

She rolled her eyes. "What, masturbating?" The elder one crossed her legs and waited until the younger's squeaks subsided. "Oh come on Sio…it's totally normal. And good for you. I mean, you know I do it all the time…"

"B-b-b-b-but, s-s-still…" Her sister's face was redder than those tomatoes she liked, and Nobunagun couldn't help but suddenly think that she looked like the most adorable thing she'd ever seen.

"But what? Please don't tell me you're feeling guilty about it…no really, please don't…" If there was one thing that Nobunagun disagreed severely with Sio on, it was about embracing your sexuality. Being more conservative and wanting to wait was one thing, but feeling ashamed was another entirely.

"I-I…a, a little, I guess…" Sio blushed, but also turned away in anticipation of Nobunagun's lecture. "B-But, I-I-I…I know, you're right…th-that, there's nothing bad, or…wrong with it. So, please don't lecture me again, Nobu-_nee-sama_…"

The older girl nodded, glad that some of her words seemed to have made it through that thick barrier at last. "Cool, good. We're kind of on the same page now." She proceeded to put on her clothes, but noticed that Sio hadn't moved. "So, was there anything else?"

For some reason her sister turned even redder. "A-Ah—bu—I—um—Idontknowhow."

What. Nobunagun was so shocked you could've pushed her over with a feather. "What. _What_. Did I just hear right. Did you just say you…don't know…how to please yourself?"

The younger girl nodded, too embarrassed at this point to even speak. Nobunagun wasn't sure if she should laugh or cry; hell, even without the mandatory 'public health' class she'd been sneaking looks at hentai and otherwise long before that was even brought up. "…Seriously? Look Sio, I know sex and touching yourself seems like a great, big, scary thing and all, but you don't know how to masturbate even though you understand the meaning of the word?" She took a step closer, until they were face to face. "…We ARE talking about the same thing here, right? Masturbation? As in, making yourself feel good in a sexual manner?"

"_H-Hai_? I-I mean, just…well, I guess it's not that I don't know, but…I…" At this point her voice became mumbled blurbs, Nobunagun unable to make out even a single word.

"Eh? Speak up, I'm not gonna judge you Sio-chan…"

"…I…don't think I'm doing it right…"

Well. Nobunagun blinked a bit, unsure of how to respond. At least this wasn't as bad as not knowing how entirely—she herself had been an early bloomer, but it was reasonable to assume that someone as shy and innocent as her sister might not be very experienced. "So…well, why don't you…tell me what you've tried?"

"I…I know that, it's pretty common to just, t…touch yourself…down…there…b-b-but whenever I do it, I just…don't feel anything. Like, most of the time it just feels…weird. And kind of dumb…" Sio fidgeted, but seemed to be feeling more at ease.

"Aw Sio, masturbating is just like any other skill—you can't expect to master it in one day, especially if you're not in the mood." The girl patted her sister's shoulder playfully. Goodness knows how many hours Nobunagun herself had spent in their room, door locked and teasing herself silly while looking unabashedly at porn on her phone. "Have you felt _anything_ at all?"

"A-A…little…l-l-like—oh, b-b-before I never really felt anything at all, b-but now when I…th-think about him…I-I, kind of feel, sort of…hot…and, there's like…this, feeling, uh, th-there…"

_Him?_ Nobunagun felt her irritation rise a little at the mention of that guy—obviously it was Adam, who else would her little sister even start remotely fantasizing about. However, for Sio's sake she would hold her tongue; making her feel comfortable was more important than her own petty insecurities, even if they were growing more lately. "Well, fantasizing can help a lot. Sex is a surprisingly cerebral activity, after all. Why else do you think I keep Jack around?" She laughed, although deep down, she was starting to be more intrigued with him beyond a pretty face.

"A-Ah, y-yeah…" There was a weak grin, and Sio broke out into a cute little blush. "S-So, then, sometimes when I…uh, do it…it, s-starts feeling, l-l-like, uh, good…b-b-but then for some reason, it gets…r-really tense, and I stop; b-but afterwards I feel, really restless for a while…"

"Huuuhnn. So, you get really tense, and then you stop…" She tapped her fingers on her chin studiously. "Sounds to me like you're stopping right before you climax, hence why you feel edgy afterwards."

"E-Eh?"

She couldn't help but laugh out loud at her sister's bewildered expression. "Oh Sio, you're totally missing out on the best part! Yeah, some people just like the feeling of touching themselves, or even 'edging', as it's called, but really, the whole point is to climax! You know, so you get to release all that pent-up lust and those horny thoughts in one go?" She leered at Sio, wiggling her eyebrow suggestively. "Trust me, it feels _sooo gooood…_"

The poor girl couldn't turn any redder if she tried. "B-But—but, I-I do try! But it never seems to happen, so…I think, I'm doing something wrong…" The frustration was clearly visible in her sister's voice, even more than the embarrassment.

"All right, don't panic Sio, it's all good. You know, the more you force yourself to come, the less likely you are right? You're probably trying too hard. And before you give me that look, yes it's true."

"W-Well then…why don't you teach me?"

If Nobunagun had been drinking some sort of liquid, it would have been spat out all over Sio's face by now. But as it was, she could only sputter, more shocked than she could ever remember in recent memory. "What?! Are you fucking kidding me–teach you?! How–I–"

"W-Well, you're like, an expert, right? Can't you think of…s, something?"

An expert? Suddenly Nobunagun regretted being so liberal about her sexuality…but on the other hand, she and Sio trusted each other with everything; secrets were practically nonexistent between twins.

"I-I…uh, wow Sio, that was kind of…sudden." Now it was the older one's turn to be all stuttering and blushing, but for different reasons. _'Teach her…how the hell am I supposed to do that?! She doesn't seriously mean…'_

In Nobunagun's mind, you learned things mainly through one of two methods: either you studied up on the theory and then experimented yourself, or you took the 'hands-on' approach. And if Sio had already tried herself with little success, then the only remaining option left…

_'Shit; how the hell do you even do hands-on for something like…this?! It's not like I'm a, a…sex therapist!'_

"N, Nobu-_nee-sama_? Ah, y-you know, you don't really have to…if you don't want to…" Sio's timid voice interrupted her thoughts, but they only served to increase her guilt. Sio had always been there for her unconditionally, through everything–even though Nobunagun knew that her antics with guys drove her younger sister crazy, Sio never once complained or looked down on her for it.

"N-No, uh, I…we can do this. I am your _onee-sama_ after all, and it's my duty and responsibility to help you." Putting forward her best 'responsible older sister' face, she began to remove the shorts she'd just put on.

"N-Nobu?! Wh-what are you–!"

"I figured the fastest way is to probably just show you…and, uh, I guess you can…follow along if you want…" Her usually brass demeanor was subdued somewhat by this sudden turn of events, but her pride refused to let her back down. That, and if Sio was going to learn about her body, it better be from her and not say, Adam. "Do you at least know all the…_parts_, down there?"

The younger girl rolled her eyes, much to Nobunagun's surprise. "Nobu, I've taken health class too…I'm not, entirely clueless, j-just…well you know!"

"Uh huh. Okay then, you know where you clit is?"

"I–of course! …I think."

Nobunagun sighed. "Sio-chan, just…take off your skirt. Since we're doing this, we might as well do it right…"

She was expecting Sio to balk and object, or even just walk out, but to her astonishment her sister hesitated only a second, before stripping off her underwear–a determined look in her eye that was not unlike Nobunagun's own whenever she was fired up.

"Well well…looks like you've got some of my fire in you…"

"J-Just, let's just…do this, then." Sio grabbed the extra pillow and propped it behind her back, sitting awkwardly next to Nobunagun and hugging her knees to her chest.

"Okay. Well. So, we can…start with the basics…just, gently touching or stroking your clit…whatever works for you, I'm assuming you know what feels good to you…" As her own fingers started gently rubbing the sensitive nub again, Nobunagun's voice trailed off, the hunger that had been satiated just before Sio's sudden arrival now came roaring back with a vengeance. "_Aah_…damn, it feels _goood_…"

"_Nnng_…N-Nobu, h-how come I…don't, really seem to be feeling anything…" Next to her, Sio's own hands seemed to be doing something between her legs, but the expression on her face clearly suggested confusion.

"Eh? Weelll…maybe you should, relax more. Don't think too hard on _trying_ to feel good or immediately feeling something." She tried glancing over at Sio's actions, but the other girl simply turned bright red and closed her legs even more, all the while mumbling something about 'just touching'. "I mean, yeah, okay this is probably the most awkward thing in our history of awkward moments together, but, I mean…it's just me, Sio. You don't…trust me?"

"No! O-Of course not, Nobu…sorry, I know you're just trying to help…and I'm the one who asked you in the first place…"

Sio sounded so despondent that the awkward tension was disappearing, Nobunagun feeling rather frustrated that nothing she tried seemed to be working. "All right, enough is enough. Look, I'll just _show_ you–"

And before the younger girl could react, Nobunagun had seated herself firmly behind her sister, letting Sio rest against her chest while Nobunagun peered over her shoulder, taking her sister's hand with her own. "Pay attention, relax, and let me know if you feel anything–good or bad, okay?"

Guiding the other's hands, she gingerly traced Sio's fingertip between her legs–apparently Sio did not care to trim her pubic hair, even just a little–until it reached the little bump. "Here's your clitoris; it's got over 8,000 nerve endings and unlike a guy's penis, exists only for one purpose–to make you feel good. So don't be afraid to touch it or play around, all right?" Tenderly she gave it a few experimental strokes–no reaction from her sister, except one of immense embarrassment.

_'All right then, why don't we up it a little bit…'_

Slowly, Nobunagun began applying a little bit more pressure–she herself required a decent amount of friction before the first tendrils of heat made themselves known, and twins being twins, she was willing to bet Sio was exactly the same.

"…_N-nng_…N-Nobu…" There was a deep sigh, and Sio suddenly seemed to be tensing slightly in her arms. "I-It's…_that_ feeling…"

"See, there you go…you have to be a little more patient, Sio-chan," the older sister murmured, now seemingly entranced by what she was doing to her own twin. It was fascinating, watching someone else react in the exact same way as her own body, to the exact same feelings–except it wasn't herself. Hearing Sio's breath slowly increase and her feeling her body twitch and tremble as she cautiously dipped the finger down between her sister's folds only to come away wet–it was a bizarre, twisted emotion of sisterly love with the thrill of doing something…forbidden.

Somewhere in the depths of her mind, her 'good' side was warning her that this was going too far–that discussing the issues of masturbation was an entirely different one than actually getting touching her sister, but Nobunagun pushed the thought out. _'It's not like I'm forcing her to do this…she's my sister, I'd never hurt her, I'd never…'_

"_Mmmnn~_ Nobuu…" A low whine from Sio cut off Nobunagun's thoughts, Sio having given up on doing anything herself and was just letting her sister take the lead, rubbing her clit. "I-I, it's…it's g, getting to…_that_…" Her breaths were deep and shaky, eyes fluttering closed as she seemed intent on memorizing the feeling.

"You're going to climax soon? Just relax…don't think too hard about it. Just let it come, Sio."

Keeping the rubbing motion steady on her clit, Nobunagun snaked her other hand around from Sio's waist, gently tracing one finger into the other girl's now-dripping snatch and then using both hands to rub the juices all over her clit, before using both fingers to increase the friction.

"_Ahn! Nng…ahh!_ Oh god, oh god…N-Nobu…" Sio's voice could barely be forced out between her pants. "I-I'm…kinda scared…wh, what, will it feel like…"

"Shh Sio, just trust me, it'll feel good! Relax, just deep breaths…remember, don't _try_ to make it happen–just let it." Gently she nuzzled her sister's cheek, trying to keep her calm. "You're so sweet, Sio…I promise, I won't let anything bad happen to you, okay? You've just gotta trust me…"

"I-I–Nobu–!" Sio's words were cut off by a sudden extreme rocking motion, as if she was overcome by a seizure–her hips jerked side-to-side uncontrollably while she hugged herself tight, pushing hard back into Nobunagun before she calmed down at last, panting like she'd run a marathon as she rode the last few tremors out.

"Sio-chan? _Daijoubu_?" Nobunagun had known just before her sister orgasmed, but it still took her by surprise. "Hey, you feeling okay?"

"_Hah…hah_…ohmygod. Nobu…th-that was…uh, wow." Sighing, the girl tried to sit up, only to slump back against Nobunagun, eyes blinking as if not really believing what just happened. "Did I…did I come? Was that an orgasm? It felt so good, almost like it was…gonna hurt…and then I got all shaky and stuff…like I couldn't control my body…"

Nobunagun gave a small chuckle at Sio's apparent amazement. "Heh, it felt really good, right? Feeling so good like you're gonna burst, then all that shaking goodness when it hits…sounds about right. Congrats Sio, you just had your first orgasm." Gently she eased herself out from behind Sio, although strangely, her arousal was still strong–had it really been that much of a turn-on to get her sister off?

_'Don't be stupid; you're just feeling the aftereffects of watching someone who looks just like you masturbate…it's not like I want to do…that…to Sio or anything…'_ Still, her feelings were in a bit of a frenzy, and suddenly she wanted to have some time to herself. They'd never done anything like this before, and it was throwing a serious wrench into their well-established relationship.

"Mm…b-but, how come in all those…_shows_…it seems like, people orgasm for a really long time? Mine was like all over so soon…"

"H-Huh? Oh, well…porn always exaggerates. Trust me, if people really came for that long, I think we'd be in trouble…" She muttered, trying to disguise her own dripping snatch from her sister. "Hey, uh, listen, Sio…a-about that…I'm…" She took a deep breath and forced her to look directly into her eyes. "I'm sorry if that made you feel…uncomfortable or, weird…I-I know it's not exactly the greatest way to teach you something like, masturbating–"

"–Oh, Nobu-_nee-sama_…I, I should be saying sorry…forcing to you to, suddenly do something…like that…"

Sio was _apologizing_? No, this wasn't how it should be–Sio didn't do anything wrong, she never could–Nobunagun was the one who would always take that fault for her. "What! Oh Sio-chan, it's not–I'm, actually really glad…that, you trusted me enough to…do something like that…I just didn't want you to feel awkward…"

Her sister shook her head vigorously. "N-No! No, Nobu-_nee-sama_…like I said, you're…you're really the only one I can trust with everything…so, I'm really happy, that you're my sister…and we're twins." The younger girl embraced the older one in a hug, which was gladly returned. "I mean, okay yeah it was…pretty awkward. But I trust you Nobu, and I know you'd never do anything to me."

Her smile was so sweet and pure that Nobunagun had to look away. "Ah, Sio…th-thanks…I love you lil' sis." She cleared her throat and pretended to look for her clothes. "Why don't you uh, take a shower first? You should get in the habit of cleaning up after you masturbate; wouldn't want to make a mess and all that."

"Oh, right! Ah, well, in that case I'll go first…I promise I won't take long!" Humming to herself, as if everything was now all right that she had learned to please herself properly, Sio skipped into the shower, oblivious to Nobunagun's cloudy mood.

As soon as Sio had closed the door, Nobunagun dug out her vibrator and proceeded to push herself right over the edge–without any warm-up or teasing whatsoever, just turned the setting to high and let it drive her over the edge in one searing, almost-painful orgasm, to punish herself for what she just did.

_'Fuck, you're pretty sick you know? Actually getting wet from doing that to your own twin sister…regardless of what she asked…fuck, you shouldn't have done that in the first place! You could've just directed her to some videos and left it at that…'_

"Fucking hell…" Panting, she dumped the toy onto her nightstand, not even bothering to wipe it or herself up–despite what she'd just told Sio. Why was she even feeling like this…not only from the illicit nature of what they'd just done, no matter what Sio had thought–but why was this issue of Sio growing up bothering her so in the first place?

_One day, we'll part and live our separate lives…_ A shiver ran down her spine, and she pushed the thought out, hastily hiding the toy as she heard the shower turn off. Sio came out in a cloud of steam, Nobunagun pushing past her before her sister could catch onto her strange mood. The room had already been steamy from the previous user, but Nobunagun turned the heat all the way up, letting the water scald her as she just stood there, staring at the crevice between her thighs.

_'Sio…you're growing up…you're even falling in love…but I swear, we'll never be apart…'_


	12. Naturally

**A/N: Sorry for the delay; I was quite busy with work. Rejoice, Adam/Sio fans!**

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"S-So, is this…okay?"

"Y-Yeh…you, uh, look really cu–er, you look good! It's fine!" Sweaty palms, and a furious heartbeat; hastily he ran his fingers through his silver locks for the umpteenth time, even though he'd just spent all morning combing it out in front of the mirror until even Jack started making fun of him–

"–O-Oh! U-Uh, m-m-m-my sister picked it out for me–I'll t, tell her she has, good taste…" Honey-brown strands were twirled nervously between her fingers as the poor girl blushed furiously, toe digging pointedly into the sidewalk. Her theme seemed to be monochrome today, what with practically everything she was wearing being black-and-white–from her checkered skirt to the dark v-neck sweater and black hat, even her shoes and socks matched.

One word to describe their first, official, 'actually-planned-this-out-date'–_awkward_. But given that it had taken them over a month's worth of poorly-concealed 'hanging out' to even get to this point–Adam shook his head resolutely. No, enough was enough; this constant battle of 'what-if' and just what it was that defined them–that was going to end.

That is, if she actually accepted his proposal at the end of the day.

"_A-Ano_…should we, head out?" His head snapped around so fast he was surprised it didn't break off his neck. "I, don't want to be late to the theaters…"

"_Hai_! I mean, yeh we should, head out…" As Sio lead the way flawlessly through the narrow, crowded streets of Tokyo and then through the metro, Adam couldn't help but mentally recount and then berate himself for each and every action and word that'd just come spewing out of his mouth. If Jack were here, he'd probably be laughing his ass off about what a fool his brother was being. Somehow, he could get used to being oogled at by a class full of girls, and even tutoring them–so what happened to all the maturity he'd been able to exhibit when they'd first arrived in Japan?

Oh right, a certain military-otaku and her twin sister happened, that's what. And then somehow they started talking, and then they hung out, and then his brother started shagging her sister and that was all sorts of bizarre that Adam could barely digest–

–and then there was them. The quieter set of twins, the shy ones, the ones that kept their wild halves in check. Now that they'd both more-or-less settled into their new life in Tokyo, Adam had noticed his brother becoming a bit more…different than they used to be back in England. Whether it was the effects of adapting to a foreign country or because of his new girlfriend, or maybe even just the natural outcome of growing up and essentially about to become adults; but in any case, while not outright obvious, there seemed to be these little…moments, where something didn't quite feel right, almost…uncomfortable.

Like how he'd caught Jack simply staring at him more than once now, with an expression that Adam couldn't quite decipher, but it made him feel rather uneasy. Or how sometimes he seemed to get upset for no obvious reason, and even when prodded refused to give a straight answer. As the eldest, he could have forced compliance out of his brother, but so far he'd held back. Something was bothering him–and he was sure the truth would reveal itself eventually.

"S-So…y-you, like kaiju films?" He could tell Sio was desperately trying to think of something to say to keep them from completely suffocating in this awkward-as-hell atmosphere. "I-I, uh, th-those are usually the only movies I see…c-c-cause my mom, she loves them too so–"

"–Relax Sio-chan, it's cool. I've heard Pacific Rim is pretty good, so…it'll, uh, be fun…"

His worries about Jack could wait until later–in any case, the other two had made plans as well, and from the sounds of it Jack wasn't even sure if he'd be home tonight. (The reasons, Adam didn't care to ask and frankly didn't really want to know.) No, today was going to be his turn to really enjoy himself, and find out (hopefully) what it was like to be in a real relationship.

"Wow, I guess films are kind of a luxury in Japan, huh?" He gave Sio a small grin as he handed her the ticket, but the poor girl turned bright red and nearly dropped the drink she'd been purchasing.

"O-Oh! A-Ah, y-y-y-ou, you d-d-didn't have to buy my ticket! Japanese theaters are expensive…Imreallysorry!"

"Oy, it's–calm down Sio-chan, really, it's fine," Adam couldn't help but laugh slightly at the girl's antics; honestly, she really was just too innocent for her own good. "Seriously, I don't mind at all–what kind of a gentleman would I be if I didn't pay for you? Besides, you bought our drinks, so fair's fair."

Sio acted as if she hadn't heard that last part, however, only stuttering and blushing as they found their seats. Sighing, Adam just shook his head slightly, smiling to himself as the lights dimmed and the film started. Sio Ogura. Definitely not the type of girl he'd imagined himself falling for, but then again…it wasn't like he'd had any past experience. Occasionally a small crush here and there, but it never went beyond 'well maybe it might be nice…'.

But as he'd gotten to know the military otaku more, there was just something inexplicable that he couldn't explain, but it made him want more. To see her more, hear her voice, the way her eyes would just light up whenever she found an interesting article, or else just gazing with adoration at the latest models in Akihabara's shops. Maybe she was much shyer and more than a little clumsy, and her social tacts were even lower than his–but she was kind, honest, and despite her quietness, was not afraid to be her own person.

_'All right Adam, let's try and focus on this movie that you paid for.'_ His mind could barely pay attention to the action on the screen, however–despite the spectacular action scenes and impressive fight choreography, each time he cast a sideways glance at Sio–her wide-open maroons as the soda was all but forgotten while she stared at awe at the Jaegers–his body flushed and a shiver ran down his spine while his heart started beating at the pace of a machine gun. Gods, the effect that just one girl could have on him… Gulping nervously, he took a sip of his drink and forced his eyes back onto the screen, just as Gypsy Danger punched the kaiju Slattern.

As his mind would reason later, after they walked out of the theater, both of them now talking over each other about the monsters and machines (somehow his brain had absorbed enough to make him almost as enthusiastic as the petite girl, who was practically bursting with excitement), he did get most of his money's worth. Still chatting away excitedly, they finally settled themselves at their now-regular cafe, most of the staff quite familiar with the pair at this point.

"–And man, when Eureka Striker sacrificed itself–ugh, no why?!" Sio lamented dramatically just before their drinks arrived–hot cocoa, same as always–Adam grinning from her infectious energy. "That movie was so cool! Makes me kinda wonder what it'd be like…fighting monsters, saving the world…"

"Hah–probably not as easy as they make it out to be…but you know, like you said–it is really cool," his mind becoming more disarmed as they talked, "I wonder if we'd be compatible if this whole drifting technology was real…"

"Oh! For sure–I-I mean, I…think so…?" As if she suddenly became aware of herself again, the girl blushed, looked away nervously, and chewed her lip as she stared at her cocoa. "W-We, u-uh…actually, have a lot in common, I realized…I-I-I mean, d, don't take this the wrong way or anything, b-but, I…"

"…Yes?" Adam knew he shouldn't be teasing her when she was in such a state, but he couldn't help himself. Sio was simply adorable when she was all flustered, her maroons so wide they almost didn't fit her face, but it filled him with a strange urge to just hold her close in his arms.

"…I, uh, didn't…th-think we'd, become such good…_friends_," she muttered quietly, Adam's heart simultaneously skipping a beat and sinking a little at those words. "I-I mean, we're both, twins so that was something I could talk about, but…m-most people, except for Asao-san, aren't really…interested in being friends with a military otaku…"

"'Friends', huh?" Well…at least it was better than 'senpai' or 'creeper'. He tried not to let his disappointment show. Then again logically speaking, maybe it was better for them to just remain good friends. It wasn't like he and Jack were staying in Japan indefinitely, and the complications of a long-distance relationship were something Adam couldn't even begin to think about.

_'Oh, the other sister, 'ey? Well, I think you should go for it; but, just be careful; I know you, Adam–you're the type who, once attached to something, has a hard time letting it go. And unless you're seriously thinking about investing in a long-distance, long-term romance, I'd be wary of diving in too deep.'_

Jack had actually been serious for a change, and the two had a long talk the previous night when Adam finally admitted his true reasons for wanting to go out by himself on Saturday. Sure, at first he was in denial–he'd never been interested in girls before, and he didn't need this distraction overseas–but after a month's worth of 'hanging out', even he had to confess that he was definitely feeling something more than simply friends.

_'I…I don't know how to describe it. Is this what they call...being in...love?' He'd questioned his younger brother, who had been trying to maintain a straight face throughout the entire conversation. 'It's…frighting actually, now that I think about it. I didn't realise it at first, but…I'm always thinking about her, now. Like what she'd might like to do…or, what might make her happy–' _

_'–Do you really feel so strongly?' Adam stopped his rambling and looked at his brother, who had a serious look on his face. _

_'..Well, I think–no, I–yes. Yes, I do.' He nodded, as if to reassure himself. 'I know I denied it at first…and perhaps I still don't really know how to describe all this. But what I do know for sure, is that I…like being with her.' Jack grew so quiet that at first Adam thought he'd made some sappy comment again, until– _

_'–As strange as this sounds, I can't say I've…ever been in love. Well, not to the point that maybe you're experiencing.' For some reason his brother couldn't seem to meet his eyes, but Adam was too distracted by his current thoughts to pay much mind. 'Sure, I like Nobunagun–probably way more than any of my past girlfriends. But those…feelings you're describing…' Again there was that strange sort of reluctance, that Adam couldn't quite place. _

_'I think you should just trust yourself.'_

"Mmm…I-I'm, glad you don't think I'm, weird or anything…I-I know I, can be really awkward at times, so…thank you."

Before either of them knew what was happening, his hand had already reached over and was gently tapping her on the forehead, Sio looking as shocked as he felt when he finally realized what was happening. "Sio…er, Ogura-san…you know, I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I know Japan values harmony and not sticking out, but to me…I think that's precisely what makes you…unique. Special," he added, before mentally berating himself for using such a loaded word. "Besides, I think deep down, you want to stay true to yourself, too…even if that means taking a more…challenging path, I think you're strong enough to overcome it."

"A-Ah…Adam…san…"

"…I thought I told you, you don't have to use honorifics with me…"

"Sorry! Sorrysorry, I forgot–b-but you used my last name again, a-and you don't have to–!"

He mentally smacked himself. Yes, duh, right, he had been the one to slip up first, so it was no surprise that Sio became confused. "Er, right–my bad. Just…sorry, that was a bit of a serious moment there, so I…didn't want to make light of it…"

To his surprise, there was a light giggle, and now it was his turn to blush while Sio looked amused. "N-No, I…you're not that type of person to joke around, Adam. I think, that's Jack-san, right?" He nodded. "The things you say…I'd always trust you, because…w-well, I mean, I just feel like I…can."

Even with her shyness, the girl across from him currently had one of the sweetest smiles he'd ever seen in his life. Nevermind if she never felt the same–at this moment, Adam could've just died happy remaining by her side forever, as the loyal friend. He didn't have to look in a mirror to know that his face was probably looking like tomato, what with the way the temperature seemed to have climbed 10 degrees in the span of three seconds.

_'Oh shit, what do I say in a situation like this?! Damn it, think Adam, think…!'_

"Um. I, uh, I…I'm glad you, trust me…" That was an all right response, right…right? However, he didn't have much more time to think, as Sio rose to pay for their drinks this time. "Oh, Sio-chan–"

"–Hey, don't think I forgot that you paid for us the first time…and also, thank you for the movie tickets…"

Damn. Well, he'd concede defeat this time–but just this one time. In the future–if he ever got the chance–it would be his goal to spoil her, to dote on her, to do all those cheesy, romantic things that Adam had thought only existed in fairytales and Hallmark greeting cards and were generally laughed upon by his brother.

_To hold your heart in my hand…_

The day was still nice as they strode over to the riverbanks, other couples and just friends also doing the same as they passed other young people hanging out on the streets. Neither said much to each other, instead they somehow both seemed to understand the others' simple joy of being in each others' company. It just felt so natural…so right, despite the fact that he couldn't think of any logical reason.

_'Well, technically, she hasn't actually said no; she just said she liked being friends, which is what we are right now…right? So, there's still a chance…'_ What happened to the smooth confidence he'd displayed to his brother this morning, and at the theaters? Were his feelings so fragile that even just a casual sentence could throw him off like this?

_'Shit; why does this have to be so awkward? Actually, why is this so hard in general…'_ Despite the peaceful atmosphere, Adam was currently feeling like he was about to have a nervous breakdown. What happened to all those 'picture perfect' moments he'd imagined in his head about actually asking her out for real? Oh yeah, those were just fantasies. Whether it was in an empty classroom after school, or a deserted park bench at night…

…Well, somehow none of them included a what-to-do for 'weekend afternoon stroll by the riverbank with other people around'. First things first though, he definitely did not want to be around others; not only did it make him incredibly self-conscious, but he didn't want to be competing with other people's voices.

"Hey, uh, Sio-chan…d'you mind if we, uh…" She stopped and stared at him curiously, those maroons just blinking innocently and yet it sent his heart into another fast-paced tirade. "U-Uh, go somewhere…I-I mean, _shizukani_?" She blinked in confusion at his strange mixture of English and Japanese words, all combined into a nonsense sentence with mixed-up grammar.

"Ah, you…want to go somewhere else?" Her head tilted slightly, eyes wide and innocent.

Adam resisted the urge to slap his own face. "_Iya_, I meant…" He took a deep breath, nevermind how it might be giving her a clue as to what might be happening. "I…I'd like to get somewhere less crowded, if you, don't mind. I'm not a huge fan of crowds…" He muttered, and Sio nodded in understanding.

"_M-Mochiron_! I-I don't like being around too many people either…" Frantically, she seemed to be scanning around, checking her phone all the while. "Oh! Uh, well, there's…there's a park nearby, that's pretty good for viewing sakura blossoms during _Hanami_. B-But, it should be fairly quiet now, since the season's over…" Shyly, she slipped her phone back into her skirt pocket, taking off her hat and toying nervously with the brim. "Is…that fine with you?"

"Yeh, sure, sounds good. We can…enjoy the trees, even if there's no flowers…" It was probably the lamest thing he'd said all day, but his brain was so frazzled at this point, nerves going haywire from nervousness and anticipation that he was amazed he could still function. Even now, it scared him how deep his feelings seemed to have grown. It was borderline-obsessive at times, he felt; his thoughts grew from simply wondering how she was doing in English, to seeing her the next day, until one day he discovered that he'd spent the entire afternoon doing nothing but sitting at his desk and fantasizing about what it would be like to date and go out with her. It wasn't until Jack rapped his door irritably, complaining of being hungry had he snapped out of it.

As they walked, he kept sneaking glances at the girl, his heart threatening to burst from his chest each time as he felt his body temperature spike. Why was this so frightening? How could he long for something and yet be so terrified of it at the same time?

Sio made no comment on his nervous ticks, but that was more likely because she was too nervous herself. After nodding in agreement, they headed off on another path that wound into a more secluded area, where only a few joggers and older folks bothered to head into the hilly, forested area.

"Well, the trees are still nice…they are really gorgeous, even without the blossoms in full bloom," Adam took a single photo on his phone, just to show to his brother afterwards. "Actually, looks like there's still a few left…" A few late-blooming blossoms had remained, and he reached up and plucked the pale-pink petals, delicate and sweet-smelling as it fluttered in his palm. "I'd like to see _Hanami_, maybe one day…"

"Oh! It's really beautiful; although, these days I think it's just an excuse for people to get drunk and skip work," Sio rolled her eyes, but her attention latched onto the single flower that he was holding out to her. "Aww, it seems so cute, somehow…"

Before his logical brain could stop his emotional brain, his hand was already combing through the silky strands, the girl having frozen in shock at his touch as he slowly tucked the blossom behind her ear.

"There we go…I think it's even cuter now…" Well, too late to stop now; whatever was going to happen, would happen; regardless of whether or not she would reciprocate. "It…looks nice on you…"

"A-Ah…ahn…" Sio had flushed so pink, it was as if she had turned into a cherry blossom herself. Adam had to bite his lips to prevent them from spreading into a grin. She simply was just too adorable and sweet; the sight of her, eyes wide open in surprise, yet she was stuttering her thanks and gently touching the blossom, as if not quite believing what had just happened.

"_Arigatou gozaimasu_…Adam…"

They stood there in a few minutes worth of awkward silence, Adam not sure if he should wait for her to speak, or if he should just go forth and unleash this torrent of feelings that were threatening to overwhelm him. 'Well, here goes nothing…'

"…Oy, squirt–"

"_A-Ano_, Adam-"

They stared at each other, before bursting into nervous laughter. Sio tucked her hair shyly behind the blossom, taking care not to damage it, while Adam nervously stuck his hands inside his pockets.

"I-I…um, so…this past month…I, I've, really appreciated you, showing me around…"

"A-Ah, of course! D, Don't mention it…I-I, I didn't mind at all…"

"–No, I mean…I've really enjoyed hanging out…with you. It's been a lot of fun…"

"…Y-Yeah…I've, I've had a lot of fun, too…I-I think, more than I've had, maybe even with Asao-san…"

Sio blushed a deep red, and Adam's own eyes widened a bit in surprise. She enjoyed being with him more than her best-friend-since-forever, Kaoru Asao? Trembling, he willed himself to not shake anymore than he was, though he couldn't stop the furious pounding in his chest.

"…I'm very happy you…let me be friends with you. I know I wasn't exactly friendly…" He let out a small sigh as he recalled their thorny beginnings. "I'm sorry I snapped at you…and called you a squirt…"

"N-No! I-I–I'd never hold that against you Adam," those doe eyes blinked frantically as she shook her head fervently. "I, I actually don't really mind if you call me _hanninmae_…to be honest, nobody except for my sister really calls me anything else, so it feels…nice," her cheeks flushed pleasantly again, and absentmindedly she touched the flower in her hair. "I'm…I know I'm not as social as Nobu…s-so, to be able to make a new friend by myself…I'm really happy, too…"

She whispered out that last part, her own cheeks matching his at this point. He knew now, that it there was a very high probability that she felt the same way towards him as he did her. So why was it still so hard to just say it?

"Thanks…Sio." She didn't seem to notice that he'd left out the honorific, or if she did, she no longer minded. "But, there's something else I…I want to ask you."

_Th-thump, th-thump_. His heart was beating so loudly Adam could hardly hear his own voice above the din.

"…Huh? What is it?" For once she was looking straight at him, instead of gazing awkwardly to the side, as she often did when nervous.

"I-I…I'm…" Unconsciously he gulped. Whether or not she was expecting it, he couldn't tell–she simply continued to stare straight at him, maroons sincere and unblinking. "I…I've really enjoyed hanging out with you. Being your friend. But now I want, I...want–"

_Th-thump, th-thump–_

"–I want to be your boyfriend."

How his eyes were still staring at hers, Adam wasn't sure. Maybe he was braver than he thought, or perhaps the whole situation was just so surreal that he no longer had any control of his actions, only what his heart dictated. There was no response from the girl, except her face turning even pinker, if that was possible.

If she rejected him, then so be it; it would be embarrassing and beyond painful, but at least he could live with the knowledge that he'd tried, and go home without any regrets.

But if she said yes…

"…A-Adam…I-I…"

He resisted the urge to just backpedal on his words and interrupt–as he'd learned quick enough, Sio wasn't the indecisive type; it was just her nervousness and stuttering that made it seem so. No, she simply needed some time and patient understanding.

"…I can't believe it…I-I, I never thought, th-that, a-a c, cool guy like you would…l-like a military otaku like, me…" There was a loud sniffle and a tear streaked down her cheek, but he knew that her expression was one of happiness, and not sadness.

"Me, cool? I don't know about that…" he muttered, a little bashful at her sudden praise. "Of course I like you…who wouldn't? You're kind, determined…and pretty cute, y'know?"

"C-Cute?! O-Oh, nonono, I, I'm not…" But she couldn't finish her sentence, instead face glowing with an embarrassed blush. "…This is real, right?"

Adam nodded, mind still reeling from her reaction. "Yeh…it's quite real. …Well, unless you think we're both suffering from some sort of mass hallucination…"

There was a snort of laughter from the girl, Sio doubling over from his comment. "Iya, I mean, I'm…" Wiping the last of her tears, she drew a little closer to him, and then to his great surprise, she took his larger hand into her own smaller, more delicate grasp. "I…really like you too, Adam. In fact, I was…so happy at first when we finally got to be friends…b-but then, I started realizing…I wanted to be…m-more than just friends."

Damn it, why did she have to be so irresistibly adorable? Even her eyes seemed to be smiling as she beamed, the smile almost a little too large for her face. He wanted to lean down and kiss her, right there and then, despite the fact that they'd just confessed barely 30 seconds ago and he actually had no experience in kissing. As it was, he settled for nuzzling her hands instead, Sio giggling as the silver strands brushed her skin.

"Th-that tickles…" Then, as if she was suddenly bolstered with courage, her arms wrapped themselves around his torso–_was she actually hugging him?!_

"S-Sio…" Before she could retreat he pulled her close, a surprised gasp from the girl as she nearly became buried in his arms. "Gods…you have no idea how long I've wanted to do this…" Her warmth, to be able to at last feel her so close, to have earned the right to feel her; breathing in her scent and feeling her own heart beat against his, it was just so natural.

"…M-me, too…it's so…nice…" Her voice was muffled in his grasp, but neither made any moves to separate. "You're…really warm…I like it…"

If Adam had a choice, he would've had no qualms about staying like that forever. But as it was, even though there were fewer people around, the park wasn't entirely deserted; a few minutes later, he heard some awkward whisperings from the elderly folks who took regular strolls here–"kids these days, so shameless"–and they reluctantly parted, although he noticed that Sio had not let go of his hand.

"C…Can we, hold hands?"

There was no way he could say no to those eyes; that set of round, wide maroons was more potent than any other set of puppy-dog eyes in the world. Nodding wordlessly, he closed her smaller one in his grasp, and they slowly walked back in the direction of her home, the sun now getting lower. Even though she hadn't said anything, they both knew that if they wanted to keep this relationship working, it would be best to get off on the right foot–

–especially with her parents. Adam gulped nervously and wondered just how the hell that was even supposed to happen. Her sister wasn't much of an issue–especially given that he'd had to get used to seeing Nobunagun hanging around Jack or sometimes coming over. But parental units? What if they were overprotective (likely)? What if they didn't like _gaijin_ (also likely)? He made a mental note to interrogate Jack about that later.

"_Ano_, Adam…u-um, I, uh…" She was stuttering again, tripping over her own words but not quite her own feet, and he slowed down to let her collect her own thoughts.

"Cat got your tongue?" She blinked back confusingly, the idiom having slipped her by. "Er, sorry…bit of an English expression there…something on your mind, Sio?"

"M-Mm, mmm…_b, betsuni_…just, I like being with you…y, you're the first person aside from Nobu and Asao-san to make me feel like I can be myself…so I'm really happy you and Jack-san, decided to come to Japan…"

"Me too…" He gripped her hand a little more tightly, and she squeezed in return. "Granted, I can't say I was expecting all…this," he swung their hands slightly, "but I'm glad I took that chance."

Adam wondered what Jack would say when he returned with his triumphant return. An over-the-top congratulations? Or a cooler, more subdued 'it's about time'? In any case, that depended on if he was even home; somehow he had a feeling that his brother would soon be regaling saucy tales of Japan's infamous "love hotels".

As they rounded the narrow street where the Oguras lived, Sio noted quietly that Nobunagun must still be out, as evidenced by the darkened upstairs. "I-I'm sure she and Jack-san are okay…"

"Yeh, Japan's quite safe, and those two can more than take care of themselves," he muttered, trying not to imagine Jack and Nobunagun being involved in certain…salacious activities… "In any case, I…I guess I'll see you tomorrow at school then, Sio?"

Even though it was getting fairly late, and he was sure her parents must be waiting on at least one of the twins, Adam couldn't seem to let go of her hand. He couldn't get over how small and delicate it felt in his–yet he knew that the girl possessed a surprising inner strength, that could be on par with that of her sister's. Absently he rubbed her knuckles, relishing the smooth warmth of her skin; even though it was a simple action, the sensation alone caused a startling shot of heat to course through his body, and hastily he pulled away, before she could sense something wrong.

"Ah, Adam…?" Still so innocent and pure, yet his heart was filling with a strange emotion that overtook everything, including his logical side. It was this emotion that told him to lean down and, as cliché was it was, gently press his lips against hers.

It wasn't desperate or slobbery, like he'd seen and heard so many times from the media and his own brother. Certainly, he didn't even know what to do with his mouth–just a simple collision of his against hers, so soft and perfect. Perhaps it had only been a few seconds–he definitely couldn't hold his breath that long–but it felt like hours before he opened his eyes again, panting slightly and a new, thrilling feeling started coursing through him.

"S-Sorry…I–!" But this time she was the one who silenced him with a kiss, having to stand on her tip-toes to reach his height, but it caused her to lean in slightly, and this time the kiss was a little warmer and deeper, and fueled that unknown but welcome emotion just a little more.

"…_Oyasumi_, Adam. I'll see you tomorrow in class then." Was it just him, or did Sio suddenly seem to be channeling a bit of Nobunagun? Her cheeks were still deeply flushed, but that smile she gave carried just a touch of her sister's smirk, as he grinned back and waved good-bye, before she reluctantly went inside.

The flat was still dark when Adam opened the door, but at this point it was to be expected. He hoped Jack wouldn't decide to come barging in at some ungodly hour, but he was so drunk on his emotions from the day that hardly anything seemed bad. Stripping off his clothes to take advantage of having the bathtub all to himself for an evening, he quickly shot Jack an email reminding him to please not wake the neighbors when he decided to come home–and then, as an afterthought, sent one last email to a certain girl.

Adam Muirhead had only come to Japan to keep an eye on his younger brother. What he hadn't expected was to add someone else into that precious circle along the way…and yet, as he sank into the hot water, greatly enjoying the depth of Japanese tubs, he didn't even realize that she alone consumed his thoughts, Jack just a distant afterthought now.


	13. Day To Live

A/N: I'm really sorry for the long delay; actually, I've been putting off writing for a while because I have been working on a new anthology project, "Mysterious love feeling" which is a 50+ page illustration/comic doujinshi anthology dedicated to my favorite pairing, Adam/Sio! I spent a lot of time on it, which was why writing was delayed, but now it's up for preorder on my storenvy (celebistar **.** storenvy **.** com) Please check it out if you've enjoyed my writing and love AdaSio and Nobunagun as much as I do!

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_"The voice of life is screaming out, surrounding everything in~_" Humming one of her favorite songs, the younger of the Ogura twins twirled in front of the bathroom mirror, trying to match a hat to go with her one (and only) knee-length, white sundress that she'd bought on a whim years ago, when the family had gone on vacation to Panama, of all places.

"Nobu-_nee-sama_! Can you help me?" Now that they were finally a 'couple', Adam had wasted no time in formally asking her out to spend the day with him that weekend; without even asking her sister if she'd had any previous plans, Sio had gone ahead and said yes immediately. Though this was now their second date, it was still the first one they were enjoying as an official couple, and her stomach was fluttering with butterflies of excitement and nervousness. _'I hope he doesn't think this is too...different for me,'_ she thought nervously. Even though she didn't dress quite as boyishly as her sister, it was still rather unusual for her to wear dresses.

"Yeah, what now?" A grumpy voice echoed from behind as Nobunagun finally trudged into the bathroom, rubbing her eyes as a huge yawn tore from her mouth. "Eh? So, you're finally putting that dress to good use...thought we'd have to donate it or something..."

"W-Well, I wanna look good for Adam...s, since it'll be our, first real date and all..." Sio blushed shyly, before holding up the two hats. "Which one do you think looks better? The black one or the straw with a ribbon?"

"Eeh...don't do the black; it's not winter, it'll look totally out of place with your dress..." Nobunagun muttered, her face arranged in a tired scowl. "Honestly, just wear whatever the hell you want, why are you asking me," she retorted, before pushing past Sio to use the sink.

"Ah, N-Nobu..." Sio sighed, before gently putting the black hat back onto the stand. Something was up with Nobunagun lately...did her sister not like the idea of Adam being her boyfriend?

_'I know she's always been kind of overprotective of me, b-but she also said that she was okay with it...'_ And it wasn't like they'd even really done anything yet; aside from that goodnight kiss after that fateful day, things hadn't changed all that much-they still hung out at school and chatted sparingly (mostly about homework), the only difference now being that Adam would usually carry her bags and walk her home partway, if he didn't have plans with his brother that day. Besides, her mind argued, Nobunagun had been dating for much longer and Sio had never once complained; so why shouldn't she get a chance to enjoy it now?

"W-Well, I...I'll be heading out, then. I...I'm not sure if we'll eat dinner or not, b-but-"

"-'s fine Sio; don't worry about me, it's not like mom and dad'll let me starve," the older one rolled her eyes as Sio double-checked her purse one last time, before heading out. "Might go to Jack's place later or something myself anyway..."

"O-Ooh...w-well, I'm off..._ittekimasu_..."

"..._itterasshai_..."

The door closed before Sio could even ask if her sister really was okay-and then, thinking on it, she decided she'd better be off anyway. It wouldn't do to be late-she didn't want Adam to get the wrong idea.

_'...But, Nobu-nee-sama...I'm almost certain, she's upset about this...but, why...'_ She thought sadly, the joyous date now being marred by her sister's inexplicable moodiness. _'Maybe I should get her something while we're out today...'_

Unfortunately, not even the prospect of a tasty crepe underneath the warm sunshine and calm breeze could lift her mood, Sio still unusually quiet as she and Adam sat on the park bench, the girl so lost in her thoughts that her scoop of ice cream nearly dropped onto her dress-if it hadn't been for Adam's quick reactions.

"Oy, squirt...somethin' bothering you? You're awfully quiet...is this boring you?"

"H-Huh? N-n-n-no, not at all Adam! It's just, I..." She what? Sio wanted badly to tell Adam about the strange tension that had been rising between her and Nobunagun as of late; but she wasn't sure how he would respond. Even if they were both twins, what happened between twins usually stayed between them; outsiders were generally not allowed.

_'...Well, but he is a twin too...if anything, he might have some insights...'_

Something warm touched her hand and she looked down to see Adam gently stroking her knuckles, the gesture soothing. "Hey...you wanna talk about it? Seems like this thing is really bothering you...I already ate all the ice cream, and you didn't even complain," he joked lightly, pointing to the now-empty crepe shell.

"A-Adam..._arigatou_..."

He gave her a small smile and despite her worries, Sio's heart skipped several beats. "Why don't we go somewhere quieter then?"

They held hands the entire walk to their favorite cafe, Sio contemplating silently and squeezing Adam's hand every so often, which he warmly returned. They nursed their drinks in an awkward silence for a few minutes, Sio unsure of how to even begin other than her usual nervous stutter and broken bits of Japanese mixed with English.

"N-Nobu-_nee-sama_...she, I don't know why..._hidoii na_..."

But Adam only nodded silently, not judging or anything as he simply sat and sipped his drink, and soon enough the story spilled out, in bits and pieces at first, but the more Sio talked, the more she couldn't seem to stop; starting with Nobunagun's over-protectiveness since they were children, about her sister's penchant for causal flings, and how Sio had never been able to truly speak up the entire time until now, but still she couldn't get the words out.

"I-I mean, you don't think I'm being...unreasonable, do you?" The girl fluttered nervously, the remainder of her hot chocolate basically forgotten as she let out all her woes onto her now-boyfriend. "But the more I think about it, the more...well, upset I get. Like, I've barely ever told Nobu how much her...flings, bothered me...and each time I did, she just shrugged it off and told me to get over it. So why is it now th, that, I'm finally going out with you, she gets...so, mean about it?!"

Though she knew that Adam was listening quite attentively, still her cheeks turned red as she noticed his lips trying not to quirk into his signature grin. "Well, squirt...I can tell you I've been wondering that very same thing myself; granted, Jack's never been overprotective of me-that's my role-but, lately it does seem like...he's distracted somehow. More distant; and I can't figure it out, either..."

"Oh..." Sio's spirits plummeted even lower, so much for the all-knowing boyfriend giving her sound advice. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to make things awkward between you and Jack-san..."

"No, don't be Sio." He reached across the table and grabbed her hand. "I'm certainly not sorry; hell, it's like you said-why should we have to give up our happiness just because those two can't deal with the fact that suddenly, their twins are dating?" Adam rolled his eyes. "Honestly, I've half a mind to box his ears at this rate...all the times he's joked about me being totally ace, and when I actually start dating he makes such a fuss..."

Although Sio was fairly certain that Adam wouldn't really beat his brother up, she couldn't help but laugh nervously as Adam continued to grumble about Jack's inexplicable moodiness and odd behaviors. "_S-Sou ka._..that sounds a lot like Nobu, actually..."

"Really? I have to admit it's hard to imagine anything shaking your sister," Adam commented, lacing their fingers together. "She's always so, so…"

"Aggressive?" Sio finished for him, to which Adam could only nod sheepishly. "Yeah, I know what you mean…I mean, I…appreciate her looking out for me; I really do. But I feel like…well, can't I live my own life, as well? Why do I always have to get her approval for everything…"

"...I know what you mean. It's not really approval, but...we can't stand it if they're upset at us. As twins, we want them to unquestioningly accept us...even if it's unrealistic, their opinions of us...is what matters the most, sometimes," Adam grew quieter as he became lost in his own thoughts. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make your problems seem trivial."

Sio shook her head in sympathy. "N-No, of course not...if anything, it makes me feel a little better knowing that I'm not the only one who's had these...issues..."

Adam gave her a small smile. "It does, doesn't it? I must admit, I do feel a little...selfish thinking that it's a good thing you're also a twin; I'm not sure anyone else would really understand the way I feel about my brother."

She nodded seriously. How else could she explain that Nobunagun was simultaneously the most important person, yet also her worst nightmare at times? But as she and Adam sat there, just discussing their feelings and drinking hot chocolate, a small trickle of unease crept into her mind; nudging against the notion of Nobunagun being the most important person to her.

_'But you're going out with Adam now; do you really think it's possible for you to put both him and Nobunagun on that same pedestal? Do you honestly think she'll remain in your top spot forever?'_

Ever since that little 'incident' that her sister immediately deemed 'let's just pretend that didn't happen', Sio wouldn't deny that her feelings of attraction to Adam had grown rapidly, sometimes to the point where it felt out-of-control. Being nervous and shy on a date was one thing, but when she was at home, alone, attempting to sleep at night...those restless feelings of longing and lust had caused more than one set of sheet changes in the past few days.

"I...I want to tell her how important she is to me, still...but I also wish she'd understand, that you're...really important to me, too..." A whispered hush, and suddenly she didn't really feel like finishing her drink anymore, instead pushing it towards Adam. "I hate this weird tension between us...I wish it would just disappear..."

"Me too...gods, I really want to sit down with Jack and just...talk about it, but it just feels so awkward," Adam admitted, pouring the remainder of Sio's drink into his cup without a second thought. "I mean, we've never really had this issue before; in the past, it always just kind of...worked itself out naturally, or there was a time where it just felt right to have a certain type of conversation. But now, this...to bring it up deliberately feels..."

"...Strange."

"...Yeh."

Sio fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat. This was supposed to be a date, not a therapy session. "Sorry...this was supposed to be fun, not depressing...I'm not a very good date, am I?"

There was a sound of muffled laughter and she glanced up to see Adam trying not to smile into his sleeve, much to her surprise. "...You know Sio, you worry too much about what others think...I find you perfectly charming, and I think it's...admirable, to care about your sister. Like I said, I couldn't imagine not sharing the bond I have with Jack, so I definitely understand that feeling..." He patted her hand kindly. "I'm don't mind just talking, if that's what you want. 'S not like I have much else planned..."

"Adam..._arigatou_..." Sio's lips quivered at his sincere kindness, but she held herself back just in time. "I-I can't believe I'm so lucky to have someone like you as m-my, first boyfriend..."

"...And hopefully last..."

"H-Huh? Did you say something?"

"Ah! U-Uh, _betsuni_; nothing really, Sio." Adam hastily got up and put their empty cups back onto the counter before she could make much sense of it. "If you, don't mind...I-I mean, ah, nevermind..."

"...What is it?"

The pale visage of his face suddenly darkened with a blush, and Sio could only make out muttered words of going somewhere 'else', either a park or some other place that was more private, but she couldn't make out what he was saying.

"Did...you want to go somewhere else?"

"...I-If you don't mind...there's, the river...might be nice to take a stroll there..."

He was blushing so hard and his voice had taken on a very uncharacteristic stutter that sounded more like hers, and Sio couldn't help but giggle slightly. Adam was way more innocent and shy than she had thought at first, especially after she'd gotten to know him better. Perhaps that tough, aloof shell was just his way of coping with the noise of the outside world, much like how she always let Nobunagun take the lead because it was just easier to let someone else do it for you.

"I-I'm sorry...I didn't mean to laugh," she tried to reign in her grin, "but, it's just...you're so cute, Adam...and really nice...I really like you..." she whispered that last part, barely audible but it must've been to him, for even his ears started turning pink after that statement.

"...Ahn. Um." Apparently speechless, he said nothing more as they each paid for their own drinks, but as they walked out of the cafe, something warm brushed her fingertips, before he laced their hands together as they strolled down the sidewalk in a comfortable silence. Not many other people were out in this part of town, but Sio didn't mind; it was nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of everything else, especially in a city as fast-paced as Tokyo.

"So...um, did you...want to do anything else?" Not that she minded just strolling around, but it was starting to become a bit awkward after a couple of minutes. Most of her social situations had always been limited to events of some sort, often filled with people she didn't want to be around but there was always a main focus. Simply hanging out and doing nothing was something that, until now, had only been reserved for Nobunagun.

"Oh! Uh, sorry...guess I really don't know much about dating, do I? Sorry...I just wanted to spend some time in your company, that's all..." They stopped walking and he took a deep breath, before facing her. "I guess it's just, our conversation back at the cafe...it reminded me of what's been happening between me and Jack, and so...I suppose, I just wanted someone to listen. I-I mean, not the whole time of course," he hastily added, "but just...like you, I don't have many other friends, especially here; so whenever Jack and I get into a...disagreement, it's hard to talk about it to other people. Usually I just bottle it up until it either goes away or I finally explode at him, neither of which are good options..."

"No no, it's okay! Really, I don't mind at all!" The girl shook her head earnestly, before taking both his hands into hers. "You listened to me when I was venting in the cafe...s-so, so it's only fair that I return the favor. Besides, I'm a good listener, remember?" She smiled shyly, remembering the first time she realized that he might not be all that stern. "Maybe we should sit down somewhere?"

The sun was still warm and the breeze pleasant when they sat down near the riverbanks, a few other people walking around but for the most part it was deserted, which suited her just fine. As they both spilled their frustrations about how to deal with their respective halves, Sio felt herself feeling oddly...warm. Not in the physical sense, but the type of affection and closeness that could only be compared to Nobu, but even then, it was different. With her sister, there was a sense of care and well-being and the inexplicable connection of sharing and understanding without words, but with Adam, it was...different. It was closer to her friendship with Asao-san, but with more rapid heartbeats and constant blushing. To find someone other than her sister and her friend who understood her just as well, and also saw her as more than just a friend...her hand unconsciously brushed against his and they both instinctively pulled away, but not before a tingle of electricity shot up her spine, leaving her squirming slightly as she blushed.

_'Geeze...this whole hormone thing is really getting out of control! Oh god, I hope I don't become a shameless pervert like Nobu...'_

Still, it was a struggle to prevent herself from simply staring at Adam's face and to actually listen earnestly to his voice. But his face...so smooth and pale, with eyes that she didn't even think could exist in real life (and she was almost 90% certain, his skin was better than her's). If he did have any stubble, he must've shaved it regularly, for his chin looked just as bare as her own, but strongly shaped so that it gave him quite a masculine air. Vaguely she wondered if would feel soft and warm, too.

"I worry about the rest of our time here in Japan; nothing's happened yet, but I have a feeling, knowing how I am and how he is...that some sort of argument is going to be inevitable," Adam sighed, leaning back with his eyes closed. "Somehow, fighting with your twin is even worse than fighting with your best mate..."

"That's because they are your best friend, too...no, even more than that," she mumbled and her eyes turned downward, guiltily remembering her promise to herself of buying a present for Nobunagun while they were out. "Nobu-_nee-sama_...how is it that someone I've known all my life can suddenly seem like a stranger? Aren't we supposed to be twins?" A sudden bolt of fear caused all the feelings of bliss to drain from her body. "Oh god, what if I've been wrong all this time...what if she's always been-"

"Whoa there, I think you're going a little too far in your thinking," warm hands reached out to stabilize themselves across her shoulders, Sio calming down just slightly. "I don't think it's that-there's no way in hell we wouldn't understand...I think, it's the natural course of growing up; people change, they don't stay the same forever; even if we don't notice it, think about it: back in England, I never, ever would've dreamed I'd get to travel to Japan, let alone get a girlfriend here, but look where we are now. And you said you used to be bad at talking to people, but you're doing quite well right now, aren't you?"

His words were kind and assuring, Sio nodding as she took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Right, no need to get so worked up; sometimes Nobunagun joked that Sio really needed to stop being so high-strung about every little thing, even though it was hard to fight your instincts.

"You're right...sorry, that was just me panicking...but sometimes I can't help it, especially when it involves Nobu...oh, I told myself I was gonna buy something for her today, too..." She sighed heavily, gazing at the sinking sun and wondering what they could possibly get before all the stores closed.

Her words, however, seemed to have gotten his attention. "Eh? Something for your sister? Is it a special occasion or something?"

"Oh, n-no, it's not that! I just wanted to try and do something for Nobu-_nee-sama_, since she seemed kind of upset this morning..."

"_Sou desu ka_...that's a quaint idea. I think I rather like it...maybe I'll do the same for Jack, though lord knows if he'll interpret it the same way. Shall we head out then? We should probably choose something before the shops close."

They walked hand-in-hand, Sio worriedly peering through each shop window and each stall they passed, fretting about what could possibly be special enough for Nobunagun-"it can't be something we usually get"-until at last they decided upon a bag of matcha-flavored toffee, an unusual take on the British sweet, but Sio deemed it interesting enough to be a worthy gift, and whispered to Adam that, despite her attitude, Nobunagun harbored a great weakness for sweets and snacks.

"When we were young, my parents always warned her she'd get cavities if she kept eating so much sugar...but somehow she never did..."

Upon further reflection, Adam bought a bag as well, mentioning that Jack might like this Japanese-take on a childhood treat. And if not, well...perhaps he could take it back with him to England when they returned.

The sun was setting now when they finished their purchases, and Sio suddenly realized that she was getting a bit hungry. Even with all the snacks and drinks earlier, her stomach was starting to complain for some real food. Guiltily, she wondered whether she should even broach the idea of going out for dinner, or just going back and eating with her family.

"_A-Ano_, Adam...I don't mean to be rude, but...what are you plans now? Since it's almost dinnertime, I wasn't sure if we should, well..."

She trailed off before the sentence could be finished. Who was she kidding; at this point, the feeling of guilt for leaving Nobunagun behind was weighing so heavily that not even the prospect of a special dinner date could cheer her up. The more she thought about Nobunagun waiting at home, all alone, the more her lips started to tremble, and the next thing she knew, there was a hiccup and tears started to fall, much to Adam's concern.

"O-Oy! Sio, what's wrong? Hey now, don't cry-what's the matter?"

"I-I...oh, I'm so, s-sorry..."

"Don't be sorry-here, let's sit down for a bit, yeh?" He took their bags and gently guided her to the bench, patting her shoulder all the while she cried and hiccuped, tears and snot running down her face in a most un-ladylike manner but he didn't seem to care one bit. "Hey, what's wrong? Is this...about your sister?"

She nodded, messily wiping away her tears with her sleeve. "U-uhn...I-I, I'm really sorry...I didn't mean to get all, emotional like that...b-but, it's just...I, I suddenly remembered how upset she was this morning...and just, thinking of her, eating dinner by herself and wondering where I am...!" Sio shook her head violently and hugged herself tight, that mental image of her sister suffering simply too much to bear. "I don't want her to be all alone!"

"I see...then, I think we should go home now, shouldn't we?" Something soft touched her cheek and she realized Adam had handed her a handkerchief. "Don't worry so much about it; I didn't even know if we were going to get dinner anyway, so it's all good. What's important now is that you go home and see you sister again, isn't that right?"

"Uuhnn..."

Why was he so kind; surely he couldn't be real, there was no way life could really be as perfect and simple as those _shoujo_-manga romances she secretly read in the bookstore. It was true that their beginnings had been quite rocky, and she still felt awkward half the time they hung out. But maybe there could be moments of perfection, however little they might be.

"A-Adam...you're so nice..." She whispered, burrowing against his shirt before his arms closed around her protectively. "I can't believe you're real..."

"H-Huh?! Uh, well..." There was a nervous chuckle, and then he hugged her tight-the good kind of tight, the kind of embrace that made you feel safe. "...I like you a lot, Sio. Trust me when I say I'm definitely not perfect...or nice all the time. But, you're important to me, so I want to make that effort for you..."

She snorted a bit, despite her tears. "...That just makes you sound even more perfect..."

"...Honestly, I have no idea what I'm doing..."

"...Neither do I..."

"Oh Sio..." A pause, and then he was letting her out of his embrace, wiping up the last of her tears so she wouldn't look like a total mess when she got back home. "You're too cute, you know that?"

Her face grew hot, despite the tears. "A-Ah?! Ah, uh, um..." Only Nobunagun had ever told her she was cute or adorable-and that had always been just sisterly teasing, nobody had ever approached or complemented her before, except for Asao-san sometimes.

"Here, I'll walk you back-that way you don't have to carry all this." Before she could say anything, Adam had already slung the two bags over his shoulder, despite her protests. "Seriously, no offense, but I'm probably stronger than you and your sister combined...these lil' bags are no problem for me."

"..._Arigatou gozaimashita_..."

"No worries. A true gentleman, after all, always carries a lady's bags," he grinned, and she couldn't help but laugh a little. It had been a pretty good day after all, though maybe not in the way nor reason she originally thought.

It was just after their usual dinnertime when they finally stopped in front of her house, Adam giving her a simple kiss on the cheek and a warm hug, leaving a few last words of encouragement before he took off. Taking a deep breath, Sio opened the door, determined to keep her expression and voice as neutral as possible.

"_Tadaima_!"

"Oh, _okaeri_, Sio-chan! We didn't think you'd be home for dinner? You should've messaged us," her mother scolded slightly as the three family members looked at her return with slight surprise, though Nobunagun seemed oddly focused on chewing the piece of bamboo that was between her chopsticks. Still, even with her sister's lingering attitude towards her, Sio couldn't help but shake slightly with relief, knowing that she hadn't been eating in the dark all alone, waiting for her to come home.

_'Yokatta...thank god mom and dad were home too...'_

"Eh? What's with the dumb grin...something good happen? You look like you're about to cry or something," her sister grunted as their mother went to get a bowl of rice for Sio, their father excusing himself just as she sat down. "What's that," Nobunagun jabbed her chopsticks at the bag that Sio sat down next to the table.

"Nobunaga, don't point with your chopsticks-"

"Ah, that's right! I brought back some matcha-flavored toffee...it sounded really interesting, so I thought it might be fun to try some..."

"How nice! I'll make some tea to go with it then."

"Hnn...matcha-flavored toffee, huh..." Nobunagun didn't say anything more, though Sio could sense that, behind her uninterested mask, she was actually quite curious.

When the tea was done and Sio finally cleared her plate, the twins hauled the teapot and a handful of the sweets up into their room, with one last warning from their mother to not spill anything. Settling the iron kettle onto a mat, Sio watched eagerly as her sister unwrapped the treat, gave it a sniff, and then popped it into her mouth.

"...Uh, why are you staring at me? It's creepy..."

"S-Sorry! I just, wanted to make sure you would, like it..."

"...Mm. It's not bad...not as cloyingly sweet as I thought..."

"Oh, that's good..." Although Nobunagun seemed calm enough for now, Sio could practically taste the unspoken tension between the two of them still lingering from this morning. "U-Uh, N-Nobu-_nee-sama_..."

"Hnn?" Her sister eyed her with a bored glance as she took a sip of tea.

"I-I...uh, I...a-about, this morning...I'm..."

Despite all her mental preparations and Adam's pep talk, none of it mattered when it was just her and Nobunagun. Once again the tears started falling, Sio bursting into small sobs as Nobunagun look on in bewilderment.

"Sio?! What's wrong? What happened?! What are you crying about now?"

"I'm sorry..._I'm sorry...!_"

"For what?! Sio, seriously-!" A second later her sister was hugging her fiercely as Sio cried for the second time that day, tears dripping all over Nobunagun's shirt. "What's up with you? Didn't you have a good time today?"

"I-I, did...b-but, I couldn't stop thinking about this morning...y-you, were so mad at me..."

Nobunagun pulled back uncomfortably, an uneasy expression settling across her face. "Oh, about that..."

"-A-And then, I thought, y-you were, g-g-g-gonna, eat all, b-b-by yourself...w, without me...and it just made me so sad..." Sio sniffed and hiccuped, blowing her dripping nose into a tissue.

"...Dude, I told you, mom and dad wouldn't let me starve. Why'd you think..." Nobunagun sighed, unsure of how to answer that. "...I wasn't alone. And besides, like I said, I hung out with Jack for a good part of the day, too." Her fingers traced lines in the sheets, both twins now unsure of how or what to say. "...Is that why you bought the candy?"

"...Mmm...I, I th-thought, it might...cheer you up...I didn't want you to think, I'd...forgotten about you..."

"Oh, Sio...! You, you're just..." Next thing she knew, Nobunagun was reaching for the tissue box as well, wiping tears that she seemed determined to not let fall. "Y-You're just...you're way too kind lil' sis...y-you worry too much..._baka_..."

"B-But you were so upset this morning..."

"Yeah, I was. And you're right, I...I was an ass. I'm sorry, Sio. I didn't mean to ruin your whole day with my mood swings..." Nobunagun was biting her lips and fiercely wiping her tears, which only made Sio want to cry even more. Nobunagun rarely cried or became emotional, unlike her; it was unsettling to see her sister, the one whom she'd always viewed as the strong one, the hero, so vulnerable and distraught. "...You're right, you know. I've been pretty selfish this whole time...thinking that I'd always take care of you, always hanging out with you and doing everything together...heh, I guess the truth is, I'm just as insecure and scared as you are," she scoffed, a rueful smile on her face. "Some big sister I am..."

"N-No! Nobu, don't say that...! You'll always be my sister...that won't change, even if I am dating now...I promise." Sio shook her head fervently, hugging Nobunagun tightly. "I love you, Nobunagun. You're my twin...I-I just want you accept the fact that, Adam and I are dating now...just like how you've always been going out with guys, and now it's Jack...I can't stand it when you're upset at me..."

"Sio..." A shared glance, and suddenly the two of them simultaneously burst into giggles yet still crying at the same time, the tea and candy practically forgotten as they hugged fiercely. "_Baka_...I could never stay mad at you..."

"Then promise you'll be nicer about it?" Sio muffled voice came floating through her sister's crumpled shirt.

"...Yeah. Though I'll admit, it might take some getting used to for me...but, I know I shouldn't be the one who does everything all the time. You...you deserve to go out and have fun too, Sio-chan. No, you should. It's about time, after all..."

"Girls, girls! What's going on here?" The moment of pure sisterly love was interrupted by their mother, who, upon hearing a lack of energetic chatter, had decided to come check up on them, while bringing the remaining candies up as well. "Is everything all right?"

"_H-Hai, kaa-san_...just, talking about stuff..."

"Yeah...stuff..."

Their mother eyed them suspiciously, but didn't say anything more as she swapped out the kettles. "If you say so...just remember you two, no matter what happens, you two are the most important in each other's lives, all right?"

"_Haaaiii_..."

They both waited until the coast was clear, before Nobunagun got up and quietly shut the door. "Ugh, that was awkward...great, now she and dad are probably wondering what the hell's wrong with us now..."

"_Maah_, it's fine, Nobu-_nee-sama_..." Personally, Sio didn't care what their parents thought of their quirky little bond. As long as Nobunagun didn't hate her, all was well in the world.

"...Soo? What'd you guys go do? Your first 'official' date," her sister teased, and Sio felt the familiar warmth spreading back into her body.

"N-Not much, actually..._oh crap_," she exclaimed, suddenly setting her cup down and startling Nobunagun.

"What is it?"

"...I just realized, I haven't actually told mom and dad I'm going out with Adam yet..."

"...Welp."

* * *

"So? What's up with those two now?"

A sigh as the empty kettle went into the sink, their father reading the evening news as the parents retired into the living room.

"Oh, just the usual I suppose...you know how those two get. One minute they're crying and the next they're laughing, all without saying a word."

"Feels like we can't get a word in these days." He looked over the top of the paper. "...Have any of them mentioned anything, uh, particular to you?"

"...Do you honestly expect them to? I'm just glad they still remember to say 'good morning' and 'thank you' each day. Sometimes they're so wrapped up in their own little world, I can't even be sure what's going on in their lives half the time."

Their father cleared his throat, glancing at his wife with an anxious look. "Well...I think something's changed. Especially with Sio...she seems to be more active lately...wait a minute, you don't think...she's got a _boyfriend_?_!_"

"Sio-chan? _Our_ little Sio-chan? If it was Nobunaga I could see it...actually now that you mention it, I think she said something about going out with this new transfer student that arrived in their class..."

Both parents looked at each other.

"...They're growing up so fast."

"...Yup."


End file.
